Dane County’s Henry Vilas Zoo announced Thursday morning the birth of a female Bornean Orangutan named Keju.

Keju, which is Malay for “cheese,” was born Thursday, April 9 and, according to a statement from the zoo, is from an endangered species of orangutan only found in Borneo.

#BREAKING: Healthy baby orangutan born at Dane County #HenryVilasZoo! Stay tuned for more info shortly!

— Henry Vilas Zoo (@HenryVilasZoo) April 23, 2015

Her birth is an important part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Orangutan Species Survival Plan (SSP), which the zoo works closely with.

“We are excited to have Keju as part of our zoo family,” Dane County Executive Joe Parisi wrote in a statement. “No matter where she goes in life, her name is a reminder that she is a true Wisconsinite. We take great pride in the work we do to protect endangered species.”

According to the statement, zoo staff have conducted intensive maternal training with Keju’s mother Kawan.

This training included participating in ultrasounds, accepting injections and retrieving and trading objects with her keepers.

The goal of Kawan’s training is to keep interactions with her infant positive and keep them as close as possible.

Baby orangutans spend the first year of their lives very close with their mothers. They have the second longest infant dependancy, following humans.

Introducing Keju to our zoo family! http://t.co/7xz1oQxNyE pic.twitter.com/CZQewJKInZ

— Henry Vilas Zoo (@HenryVilasZoo) April 23, 2015

In the statement Ronda Schwetz, director of the zoo, said the zoo is fortunate to have a healthy mother and infant. She said teaching Kawan appropriate infant care will help ensure a good bond between her and Keju.

Keju and Kawan are receiving extensive care and support from zoo caregivers. In order to emulate mother orangutans, zoo caregivers often wear a vest with fleece stripes for the infant to hold onto and model the behavior of mother orangutans. They will soon begin working with Keju’s father, Datu, as well.

“Our caregivers model the behavior of an orangutan to help Keju grow strong and ready for life with mom,” Schwetz said.

Alison Prange, executive director of Friends of the Henry Vilas Zoo, said the birth was a reminder of the zoo’s efforts toward animal conservation and survival of endangered species. She said community support for such efforts is critical.

Keju and other orangutans may not be viewable by the public while the zoo staff trains and works with them, but will be in the near future.