24-7-2023 (SINGAPORE) If you’ve ever wondered about the striking similarities between primates and humans, a heartwarming video recently uploaded on TikTok by user @ihsahnmohd might just provide the proof.
During a visit to the Singapore Zoo with his pregnant wife, an orangutan at the exhibit displayed a touching gesture that resembled how a close relative might react to an expectant mother’s baby bump.
The tender interaction was caught on a 33-second video clip shared on TikTok on July 8, quickly amassing 17,100 views and 1,343 likes.
In the video, Ihsahn’s wife gently pressed her baby bump against the glass panel of the exhibit. On the other side, the orangutan responded by squishing its right ear and cheek against the same area, as if trying to listen to the baby’s heartbeat.
In on-screen captions, Ihsahn described how the “orangutan came to my pregnant wife and listen [sic] to the baby’s heartbeat.” The touching moment continued as the ape curiously gazed at the lady’s baby bump, forming a unique bond even through the glass barrier.
Charlie, the 46-year-old male Sumatran orangutan, is the star of the endearing encounter. Born on December 1, 1977, in Zoo Negara, located in Selangor, Malaysia, orangutans typically have a lifespan of 35 to 40 years in the wild and up to 60 years under human care.
Charlie made his way to Singapore on June 8, 2005, as part of an exchange program with Zoo Negara, contributing to the efforts to maintain a sustainable population of orangutans in human care. As of July 14, 2023, Charlie weighs 96kg.
The male ape’s love for human attention stems from being hand-raised since he was young, making him fond of people-watching and engaging with visitors at the Singapore Zoo.
TikTok/@ihsahnmohd
