Zoo Atlanta welcomes 2 new orangutans
March was a good month for the orangutan population at Zoo Atlanta.
Miri, a Bornean orangutan, gave birth to an infant on March 30. The 18-year-old orangutan is an experienced mom whose 6-year-old, Satu, is still with her. Zoo Atlanta Animal Management and Veterinary Teams are monitoring mom and newborn closely because it’s not yet clear if the infant is thriving.
The baby isn't the only orangutan new to Atlanta, though.
Blaze, a 14-year-old Sumatran orangutan, arrived at Zoo Atlanta on March 29 from the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans. Zoo officials hope she’ll be a good mate for a long-time zoo resident, Alan. He's a 38-year-old orangutan bestowed with the title of “most genetically valuable male” by the Orangutan Species Survival Plan. The program places highest breeding priority on individuals with genes that aren’t well-represented, and Alan tops their list. Blaze will go on display this spring, after a quarantine period.
Zoo Atlanta has the largest zoological collection of orangutans in the United States, with 11 individuals living in family groups. It's typical for young orangutans to remain with their mothers for years; their length of dependent childhood is second only to humans'.
Zoo Atlanta's orangutan population suffered a loss recently when J.T., a 20-year-old Sumatran orangutan with chronic respiratory problems, died in February.
Orangutans are native to the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. They are endangered as a result of illegal collection and habitat loss. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums says habitat encroachment has caused the loss of more than 3,000 orangutans each year.
