"It's not your typical call," says Andy Simmons Jr., vice
president of field operations for Atlanta-based Cornerstone
Medical.
Not by a long shot.
On April 28, the respiratory provider got an urgent call from
officials at Zoo Atlanta requesting oxygen
equipment for a four-week-old baby orangutan. His name is
San-dar, which means "to rely on," and he is relying on a lot of
help as he fights for his life.
When Miri, an 18-year-old Bornean orangutan, gave birth at the
zoo on March 30, the baby was small and not as active and alert as
expected. Zoo veterinarians decided to remove the baby from his
mother to hand-rear the infant, which involves constant monitoring
and round-the-clock care. A pediatric pulmonologist and
cardiologist from nearby Children's Healthcare of Atlanta are
consulting in treating the baby orangutan.
"We pulled the equipment together at the branch location and
arrived at the zoo at 7 p.m.," says Simmons. "The baby orangutan
was quarantined, so we had to scrub up and wear protective
coverings."
The room was warm, with a reclining chair where neo-natal
intensive care nurses from the children's hospital volunteer to
hold the baby orangutan 24 hours a day. A pulse oximeter was
attached to its tiny foot, which is "about the size of your pinky,"
says Simmons. "He's a cute little fella."
The baby orangutan had previously been breathing with the help
of an oxygen tank. Cornerstone Medical replaced the tank with an
oxygen concentrator and other equipment, including a pediatric flow
adjustment to enable the oxygen flow to be reduced in line with the
small-sized patient and set at appropriate levels to encourage his
lungs to develop.
"It was uncanny how much this orangutan looked like a real baby,
especially the way [zoo employees] were caring for it," says
Simmons. "We spent about three hours there training [the zoo team]
on how to switch over the various modalities of the oxygen."
The veterinary division at AirSep, Buffalo, N.Y., has since
donated a 10-liter NewLife Intensity oxygen concentrator to the zoo
to supply the fragile animal's needs.
Bornean orangutans are endangered because of over-harvesting of
timber and human encroachment in their native habitat, according to
Zoo Atlanta officials. Experts predict the species could be extinct
in 10 years without targeted conservation efforts.
While his outlook remains guarded, at press time San-dar had
begun to feed from a bottle, which zoo representatives say is an
important step. Once the new baby grows strong enough, he will be
reintroduced to his orangutan family.
"We were glad to be a part of it," Simmons says.
