Baby chimpanzee reunited with its mom getting cuter every day

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) -- The baby chimpanzee that pulled on heartstrings across the world as he was reunited with his mother is getting cuter every day.

The Sedgwick County Zoo (SCZ) welcomed a new baby chimpanzee named Kucheza on Monday, Nov. 15.

Due to having low oxygen levels, he initially received treatment and was bottle-fed by the Zoo's animal care team.

On Thursday, Nov. 17, a video of Kucheza being reunited with his mother, Mahale, went viral.

Ever since the viral video, the SCZ has been keeping the world up to date with how Kucheza and Mahale are doing.

On Tuesday, Nov. 29, the Sedgwick County Zoo shared a video of Mahale breastfeeding Kucheza while she munched on apples and oranges for breakfast:

Video courtesy of Sedgwick County Zoo

The Sedgwick County Zoo also hosted a Mahale and Kucheza Q&A Tuesday. Viewers were able to ask the Zoo any questions regarding the chimpanzees:

Q: "Is this the mom's first baby?"
A: "This is Mahele's third baby, but her first born at our zoo"

Q: "Was Mum aware that baby was well when kept away from her"
A: "Once Kucheza was well enough to leave the hospital, keepers brought him to the chimp building so Mahale could see him. That was the afternoon before their reunion, so we hope she knew he was ok and in good hands."

Q: "How long will she nurse the baby?"
A: "Up to 5 years!"

Q: "How long is a Chimp's gestation period?"
A: "8-9 months"

Q: "How does the dad react to/interact with his baby? PS I'm a big fan"
A: "For now he's just watching from afar until Mahele heals. Then he'll be a great protector/playmate!"

Q: "Did baby get colostrum from mom even though he didn't see her for 2 days?"
A: "Yes! Keepers were able to manually express her milk and bottle-feed."

Q: "How will the other chimps react when they meet the sweet baby??!!"
A: "Chimp troops thrive with babies around so we expect they'll love him just as much as we do!"

Q: "What is birth like for chimpanzees"
A: "Very similar to humans, though it generally goes much quicker."

Q: "Why did she need a c section?"
A: "Labor had stopped progressing and Mahale was exhausted. Medical staff decided to intervene in order to keep everyone safe.

Q: "Who and where is his dad?"
A: "To be confirmed by DNA test, but we're 99% sure it's Moshi."

Q: "How's mama's recovery going?"
A: "Beautifully! Incision is healing really well. Her hair is growing back from being shaved so she's a little itchy!"

Q: "How long will Kucheza's eyes be blue?"
A: "It varies, but our last baby chimp, Mabusu's we're brown by 3 months"

Q: "When will they be out viewable to the public?"
A: "Hard to say. First, they'll be introduced to the rest of the troop behind the scenes. They won't be ready for the indoor habitat for a while so we'll have to wait for a couple of warmer days so they can go outside. We'll let everyone know at least a day in advance so you can make plans!"

Q: "When will they go outside?"
A: "We'll have to wait for a couple of days above 50 degrees"

Q: "How many troops of chimps live at the zoo?
A: "We have one troop at SCZ. Sometimes they'll split up into different groups but then come back together. It's called fission/fusion and it happens naturally in the wild."

Q: "How long will they live together? Will they ever have to separate?"
A: "We can't ever be 100% sure, but we know they'll at least stay together for several years until it would be appropriate for a natural separation. The Chimp Species Survival Plan makes decisions based on the needs of the overall population. Our last chimp baby is 12 and he's still here!"

Q: "What inspired his name and what's his middle name? He is so handsome"
A: "Kucheza is Swahili for "play" Because we have a troop that loves babies and they'll love playing with him!"

Q: "Are they isolated from the others? If so for how long?"
A: "For now, until Mahale fully heals. Most likely they'll be introduced next week!"

Q: "Any enrichment items we can donate for a growing boy?"
A: "Keepers are working on a wish list!"

Q: "How does it feel to be recognized by Chris Evans?"
A: "We bought them a Captain America Blanket to nest in. Now if we could just get him to come visit!"

Q: "Who are the other chimps in the chimp troop?"
A: Mabusu, Bea, Chuckie, Gomez, Mwana, Sukari and Moshi

Q: "Is there a live cam to watch them interact?"
A: "Unfortunately, no. The building isn't set up for that technology!"

Stay up to date with Mahale and Kucheza by liking the Sedgwick County Zoo on Facebook.