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Daisy and Kinali:
Sharing Custody with a
Reluctant Orangutan Mother
By Devin Bailey
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Planning for Motherhood
Hand reared
Gave birth to a son
in Atlanta that she
did not rear
Lived with and
watched a surrogate
raise two infants
Maternal Training
Staff Preparations
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May 19,2011
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Building a Parenting Plan
• Give Daisy EVERY
opportunity to care
for Kinali
• Give Kinali the
benefit of staying
with his mom.
• Provide around the
clock supportive care
for Kinali when
Daisy does not.
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The Reluctant Mother: Daisy
No aggression was
ever seen by Daisy
She showed interest
when we cared for
Kinali and made
consistent progress in
training.
Daisy’s relationship
and trust in Kinali’s
care-givers was
essential.
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Meet the Custodial Parents
Four primary people became the “moms”. Baby sitters were
added to his care team as he got older and Daisy had built
more confidence.
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The Custody Agreement
Kinali joined Daisy
after his 6 AM
bottle and training.
Daisy would
separate when asked
so we could care for
Kinali.
When Daisy was
done for the day, we
took Kinali for the
night.
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Overnight Visitation
Kinali was only pulled
when Daisy was “done”
for the night.
In the evenings, Kinali
would be taken for
walks for outside time,
work on his clinging
skills and playing.
Daisy continued to be
trained during Kinali’s
feeding times.
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Parenting Class 101
Daisy began her
training by simply
touching Kinali when
asked to.
Daisy was taught to
“assist” with care
through mesh.
She eventually
graduated to bringing
Kinali up for bottles.
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Orangutan 101
By being with Daisy everyday, Kinali started to pick
up her habits and mimic her behaviors.
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Modifying the Custody Agreement
As Daisy progressed
as a mother, we
stepped back.
All changes were
monitored closely,
but on Daisy’s terms.
Daisy was very clear
in her wishes and her
limitations.
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Daisy Gets Sole Custody
When Kinali was 7
months old, he
started staying with
Daisy every night.
Keepers stayed
overnight as changes
were made to
monitor Daisy’s
progress.
Kinali’s transition
was seamless.
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The BIG Test
• Kinali’s first day on the indoor exhibit…Daisy
exceeds EVERYONES expectations!!!
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Maintaining Visitation Rights On a couple of
occasions, we have
had to assist Daisy
with Kianli.
They are trained to
separate to facilitate
weighing daily or
medical procedures.
Daisy also allows us
(usually) to interact,
train, examine, and
play with Kinali.
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Child Support Continues
Kinali is currently
getting only 3 bottles
daily.
He is spoon-fed a
leafeater/cereal gruel.
Kinali at times will
seek his human
moms for play or
comfort, but usually
Daisy provides these
things.
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Future Case Management
Currently Panji and
Tia are not
cohabitating with
Daisy and Kinali.
The next plan is to
integrate them into
one cohesive family.
Eventually, Daisy
maybe a foster mom
or have another baby.
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It’s been a long journey…
But it has had a happy ending!
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Thank you…
The Orangutan SSP
Carol Sodaro
Laura Mayo
The staff and
management who
supported us.
The orangutans who
have taught us so
much while we were
trying to teach them.
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Any Questions?