During a trip to the zoo on a family break, Gemma Copeland had a remarkable encounter with an orangutan.
The mum was in Vienna, Austria, for a holiday with her baby son and partner and they decided to take a day out to Schoenbrunn Zoo, to show their little boy the animals.
At the end of the day, they went to see the orangutans and they watched them playing in the distance.
Taking her son closer, Gemma sat right in front of the glass with her baby in her arms, and she was surprised when one of the orangutans came up and sat with her.
Posting on Facebook, Gemma, from Northwich, Cheshire, explained: ‘I went to the window for a closer look and sat down by the window so my lb could see the orangutan who was roughly 5/6ft away. She then got up, carried a piece of cloth to the window and sat down with me.
‘She looked directly into my eyes then placed her hand up as if to touch my son I was in awe of this beautiful creature already.’
Gemma’s son then started to get hungry and she decided to breastfeed him where they were sitting.
She added: ‘As it was quiet I fed him whilst I sat there, the way the orangutan reacted took my breath away she kept looking at me, then my son then back again.
‘She sat with me for approximately half an hour, kept stroking the glass and lay down next to me as if to support and protect me.
‘I had to share this because my mind was blown, we may be a species apart but breastfeeding connected us today in a once in a lifetime moment that will stay with me forever.’
Gemma described it as ‘the most surreal moment of my life that had me in tears’.
She decided to post her experiences on Facebook and was amazed when people from across the world started to share her story.
Gemma edited the post and asked people to donate to an orangutan sanctuary that helps to rescue and release the creates in the wild.
She added: ‘I’m hoping with the opportunity I’ve been given I’m able to give something back and make a difference to the future of the Orangutan.’
To donate, visit Gemma’s post on Facebook.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/12/mum-amazed-orangutan-tries-support-breastfeeds-baby-zoo-12043966/
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