Watch: Ape Cares For Baby Bird After It Lands In Her Enclosure At US Zoo

A heartwarming moment at a New Mexico zoo has drawn attention online after a siamang named Eve gently cared for a baby robin that accidentally landed inside her enclosure. Zoo keepers said the primate cradled, groomed, and protected the young bird until they were able to safely reunite it with its mother, reported People.

An American robin is a common bird found across North America, while Eve is a siamang living at the ABQ BioPark Zoo in New Mexico.

The two shared an unusual moment after the young bird accidentally entered Eve’s habitat, where the primate gently cared for it until zoo keepers were able to return it to its mother.

According to the ABQ BioPark Zoo, the incident took place in late May when a baby bird accidentally landed inside Eve’s enclosure. Megan Agena, a member of the zoo’s primate care team, later shared details of the encounter in a video released by the zoo on June 27.

Watch Video Here:

Agena said that when she first saw Eve holding the baby bird, she was unsure how the siamang would react. However, she quickly noticed that Eve was being very gentle with the young bird and was showing maternal behaviour toward it. She added that the bird appeared to be a fledgling American robin.

Eve, who had already welcomed her own baby before the incident, cradled the bird in her arms, groomed it and even tried to nurse it. Agena said that every time the bird made a sound, Eve tried her best to comfort it. 

She added that Eve later carried the bird into her indoor space because she was very protective of it and likely wanted to keep it away from the other two siamangs in the habitat.

Zoo keepers continued to monitor the situation while waiting for the right moment to safely retrieve the bird. Agena said that Eve eventually placed the baby robin gently beside her while she ate her breakfast. When Eve stepped outside, it gave the keepers the opportunity to safely collect the bird.

The keepers found that the young robin appeared healthy and unharmed. They were then able to reunite it with its mother.

According to the National Zoo, siamangs are the largest species of gibbons and are native to the forests of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. They have dark, shaggy coats, can grow between 29 and 35 inches tall, and weigh about 23 pounds. Siamangs live in family groups where adult pairs raise their young together.

Eve lives at the zoo with her mate, Wayan, and their daughter, Rahsia, reflecting this family structure.

Looking back at the incident, Agena said the team does not know why Eve behaved the way she did. She said Eve is the most independent and gentle of the three siamangs at the zoo, and although such behaviour between different species is uncommon, it may simply be part of her nature.

Agena added that watching Eve care for the baby bird was very heartwarming.