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Surprise for English Zoo as Orangutan Gives Birth Despite Negative Pregnancy Tests

Staff at Chester Zoo were shocked to find a Bornean orangutan had given birth just a few months after she had returned negative pregnancy tests.

According to the zoo, staff recently discovered mum Leia cradling her newborn.

The zoo said the new arrival is “bright and alert” and is suckling well from Leia, who is incredibly protective of her new infant.

“The pregnancy tests we had carried out on Leia in the months prior to the birth had actually returned negative results. It was therefore a wonderful surprise to arrive one morning to see her protectively cradling a beautiful new arrival,” Chris Yarwood, a primate keeper at the zoo, said.

“Leia enjoys spending lots of time alone with her baby and has so far been quite shy about showing it off. She always keeps it really close to her and so we’ve not yet been able to clearly determine what the gender of the infant is,” he added. Credit: Chester Zoo via Storyful