After a few days of observing from a distance, Sophie decided it was time to intervene. She gently approached Maya, keeping her voice low and soothing. “It’s okay, Maya,” Sophie whispered, her hand outstretched but careful not to startle the mother. Maya watched her but didn’t seem threatened. With slow, cautious movements, Sophie gently lifted the baby to move it to a safer area, away from the corner where Maya had been sitting.
Sophie’s heart raced as she watched Maya, but the mother orangutan simply followed them with her gaze, never losing sight of her child. Sophie could see the depth of the bond between them. The baby was small, still fragile, but already clinging to life with the same strength and resilience as Maya herself. Sophie couldn’t help but smile, feeling a deep sense of respect for the protective mother before her.
In the weeks that followed, Maya and her baby became an inseparable pair at the sanctuary. Sophie continued to care for them both, ensuring that the little one was healthy and thriving. Maya, once again, returned to her playful self, but there was a calmness about her now, a gentleness that came from the bond she shared with her baby. They spent their days together, Maya teaching her little one the ways of the sanctuary, and Sophie watching with a sense of pride.