Denver Zoo orangutan: Maury Povich declares ‘You are the father!’

This undated photo provided by the Denver Zoo, shows Sumatran orangutan Eirina and her baby Siska. The zoo did a DNA test to determine which of two male orangutans was Siska's father and recruited talk show host Maury Povich to record a video announcing that 30-year-old Berani was the father. (Denver Zoo via AP)

Initially unsure of which orangutan was the father of a new baby primate, the Denver Zoo decided to have a little fun with the results and turned to the paternity announcement guru himself: former daytime talk show host Maury Povich.

Just as he would do on his long-running show, Povich pulled the purported DNA results for 4-month-old Siska out of an envelope and declared: “Berani. You are the father!”

Siska, a female born on August 27, is the first baby for Eirina, a 15-year-old Sumatran orangutan, who came to the Denver Zoo from Germany’s Dortmund Zoo in 2016.

The DNA results are in, and we're delighted to share that we now know who Siska's father is! Stay tuned tomorrow for this special announcement from an extra special guest...👀 Are you Team Jaya or Team Berani? Let us know in the comments below! 🦧 pic.twitter.com/e94ixeed8m

— Denver Zoo (@DenverZoo) December 19, 2023

Sumatran orangutans are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with a rapidly declining wild population due to habitat loss, illegal hunting and the black-market pet trade, the zoo said in announcing Siska’s birth.

Sumatran orangutan Eirina and her baby Siska. The zoo did a DNA test to determine which of two male orangutans was Siska's father and recruited talk show host Maury Povich to record a video announcing that 30-year-old Berani was the father. Photo / AP

Kubié emailed the assistant, asking if it might be possible to have Maury “reveal the paternity results as only he can”.

“Everyone was incredibly friendly and enthusiastic about the idea, and I can’t express enough gratitude to Maury for dedicating a bit of his time and energy to supporting Denver Zoo — especially on such a big day for him, personally,” Kubié said.

Povich, 84, taped his announcement Saturday before attending the Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles where he received a Lifetime Achievement Honor presented by his wife, journalist Connie Chung.

“As much as I’d like to think he dressed in a tux for our announcement, it was actually for his big moment at the Emmys,” Kubié said.