Twins For Blind Orangutan Mom

Picture of motherly love: Gober the blind orangutan gives birth to healthy twins

Cradling her babies, this picture of motherly love is especially rare - because these healthy orangutan twins have been born to blind parents who are both lucky to be alive.

The babies were born last Friday at the Batu Mbelin Orangutan Quarantine Centre in North Sumatra where both their parents are in long-term care.

Mother Gober lost her sight to cataracts and had to be rescued in 2008 by the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, which receives funding from the UK's Orangutan Foundation.

 Tender: Gober lies down with her twins

 Cling: The twins - a boy named Ganteng and a girl named Ginting - are less than a week old and cling to their mother for comfort

Her blindness was forcing her to raid crops, putting her at a high risk of being killed by villagers. The twins' father Leuser was confiscated as an illegal pet and released fit and well into the wild in a national park, but strayed outside park boundaries and was shot by villagers.

He was found with 62 air rifle wounds, including three pellets lodged in his eyes. While staff at the centre try to prevent orangutans breeding until after they are released into the wild, they decided that having a baby would improve life for Gober, who is over 40.

 Feeding time: The tiny twins suckle as Gober carries them at the rehabilitation centre in Sibolangit, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Mother and babies - a boy named Ganteng, which translates as handsome, and a girl called Ginting - are doing well and it is hoped they will eventually be released into the wild.

Ian Singleton, director of conservation for the Swiss-based Pan Eco Foundation, said: 'Rather than being bored, Gober now has the full-time responsibility of her infants, not just one but two of them.

'Normally we try to prevent orangutans breeding at the center, but we decided to make an exception.

'Twins are not unheard of but they are certainly not common and relatively few zoos will have experience of it.

Rare: Ian Singleton, director of conservation, says: 'Twins are not unheard of but they are certainly not common and relatively few zoos will have experience of it'

Mr Singleton, who works with the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program, said today that Gober so far appeared able to care for the babies herself, 'but vets and staff are ready to step in if necessary'.

He added: 'It's hoped that both infants will eventually be released to a life in the wild, something that has been denied both their parents due to their blindness.'