Orangutan Kisses Pregnant Woman's Stomach At Zoo

Orangutans are the gentle giants of the jungle. They look imposing, but are smart and emotive, and just about as close to human as is possible in the animal kingdom. (I mean, they are technically our ancestors.) Not to mention their babies are pretty damn adorable. This big guy, Rajang, proved exactly how instinctively gentle and parental his species is when the orangutan kissed a pregnant woman on her belly. The kiss came through the glass of the orangutan's enclosure at Colchester Zoo, but is no less beautiful to watch. The pregnant woman puts her bulging belly up against the glass, and Rajang observes her for a moment before kissing the belly, and then resting his forehead to it, kissing it again, and then trying to stroke it through the glass.

The woman's partner tries to put his belly against the glass to see what Rajang will do, but the orangutan just pushes him away. When the woman puts her belly back, Rajang once again bows his head and kisses the belly. The instinctive deference to the unborn child is indicative of just how great orangutans are at parenting, and we could all probably learn a little something from Rajang, who doesn't seem like the kind of primate who would deny a woman maternity leave.

Watch the whole lovely exchange below:

Here are some more instances of orangutans being good/adorable parents:

1. This orangutan babysitting tiger cubs

2. This orangutan that just wants to see this human baby

3. This orangutan supervising this baby bird

4. This orangutan who is best friends with a dog

5. This orangutan who is obsessed with this gibbon baby

Orangutans: They're just like us! Only nicer.

Images: Getty Images; YouTube