The Jane Goodall Institute of SA is sharing a world-first with the public - a live video of Nina the chimpanzee giving birth.
The Institute is set to screen the labour of Nina, a nine-year-old chimp rescued from wild animal meat hunters in South Sudan in 2007, via Wildearth.tv. Viewers can watch the expectant mom swing around her room and play with a bright pink ball as she prepares to give birth. They can also contribute to a social stream, with many commenting on the animal's activities and what they could mean. "To think the whole world is watching this," said Leon Kruger on the stream.
Nina's pregnancy was an accident, as the Institute has a strict non-breeding policy. However, the unplanned pregnancy allows for a unique opportunity to observe the birthing process, a rare occurrence as chimp mothers naturally seek solitude when they're ready to give birth, according to journal Nature.
According to David Devo Oosthuizen, director of the Institute, keepers are giving Nina plenty of space, and special care is being taken to ensure the filming of the 24-hour live stream does not disturb the animal in any way. According to the Institute, there is some concern about the birth, because Nina is well above the average age for a first-time chimp mother.
Enthralling
The site has been viewed almost 300 000 times and one US-based viewer even posted her e-mail address on the social stream on Tuesday evening asking others to e-mail her should Nina go into labour while she was asleep. Regulars have been watching Nina so avidly that they comment on her daily routine, know the feeding and cleaning schedules, and are even familiar with the Institute's staff.
"We have no idea whether she will accept her baby or whether the primate staff at Chimp Eden will have to hand-rear the little one," Oosthuizen said, adding that the aim of the project was simply to "tell a story".
The live stream is being hosted by WildEarth and Vox Telecom, and Nina is expected to give birth in the next few days.
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