11 Good things come in small packages — at least, that’s the case for the newest member of the chimpanzee troop at the Detroit Zoo. Tai, a chimpanzee who calls the Detroit Zoo’s Great Apes of Harambee habitat home, was born May 26 to first-time mom Tanya, 32. Named for West Africa’s Taï National Park, this newborn has been experiencing all areas of his habitat since his birth — Tanya carries him from the tops of the trees to the edge of the pool. “Tanya is a great mother,” says Melissa Thueme, primate supervisor for the Detroit Zoological Society. “Initially, she was very protective. She wouldn’t let us, or the other chimps, get more than a glance at him. She’s much more relaxed now, but she still always keeps an eye or a hand on him.” The fact that Tanya is an excellent mom wasn’t a surprise to her care team. Over her lifetime, Tanya has learned from other great chimp parents, including her own mother, Trixi, 53. In addition to raising Tanya, Trixi also stepped up as a surrogate mother to Zane, a young chimp born in 2020. Tanya often helps her mother care for Zane and is a dedicated babysitter to the troop’s other young chimps. Having known Tanya would take so well to motherhood, Thueme says she couldn’t be happier that Tanya now has a little one to call her own. “This is something we’ve wanted for Tanya for a long time, and she is a very attentive mom,” Thueme says. “A baby brings a whole new dynamic to the troop and elevates Tanya’s status a little bit because every chimp wants to be around her and see the baby. It’s also really exciting and rewarding for our staff to see a baby grow up and hit milestones. It brings a new kind of joy to every day.” While it’s still too early to know what Tai’s personality will be like, Thueme says she can’t wait to watch the baby chimp grow and develop — under his mother’s watchful eye, of course. “I’m really looking forward to Tai and Zane playing and growing up together,” she says. “Tai’s got a lot of great role models to look up to, and I know he will be a valuable member of the troop.” DETROIT ZOO WELCOMES BABY CHIMPANZEE
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