In time for World Orang-utan
Day on 19th August, Sumatran orang-utan orphans Bulu Mata and Rieke
have moved into a purpose-built playroom crèche inside Europe’s Orang-utan
Nursery at Monkey World in Dorset.
Baby girl, Rieke, arrived from
Berlin Zoo in February having been rejected at birth by her mother. She joined her new adopted brother, Bulu Mata,
who came from Budapest Zoo in December after his mother sadly died
unexpectedly. Both are being looked after by specialist Primate Care Staff at
Dorset’s world-renowned primate sanctuary, in preparation for joining their new
adopted family of orang-utans at the park.
Monkey World is home to the only
European crèche for orphaned orang-utans and, as such, provides sanctuary for
any infants or youngsters that are not cared for by their mothers. The
specially designed nursery building has a gymnasium-sized playroom fitted out
with climbing frames, hammocks, and ropes to encourage natural, arboreal
orang-utan behaviour. Most importantly there are 6 other orang-utans living
there that include orphans from UK, Spain, Taiwan, Hungary and South Africa –
some of which were smuggled from the wild before being confiscated from the
black market trade.
Primate Care Staff had been
feeding and caring for the babies around the clock, but they now spend every
day in their new bespoke playroom, which has been built into the main
orang-utan nursery. In this way, they can see and interact with the other
orang-utans from the safety of a baby-friendly area. When Rieke and Bulu Mata are
strong enough to climb the huge main nursery playroom unaided, they will join
the rest of the group, which includes two adult females, Hsiao-quai and Oshine,
an adolescent male, Kai, and youngsters Jin, Silvestre and Awan. This is a
great environment for them as it is essential that Rieke and Bulu Mata are able
to live and grow up with other orang-utans in order to learn all the skills
they need to survive, socialise, and hopefully one day start families of their
own.
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| Bulu Mata © Monkey World – Ape Rescue
Centre |
Monkey World’s Director, Dr
Alison Cronin, said “Bulu Mata and Rieke have made great progress since
arriving at Monkey World. Both babies have put on weight, have been teething,
and are now climbing, playing, and developing very strong muscles. This is
really important as we are planning to introduce them to the rest of the
orang-utans in our nursery group in the coming weeks. It is essential we know
the babies are strong enough and coordinated enough to move about the huge
nursery climbing frame on their own. Their safety is paramount but it is almost
time for them to join the other orang-utans full time.”
“For now, Bulu Mata and Rieke
still go home with our Primate Care Staff as their last feed is at 9.00pm. Bulu
Mata now weighs 6.9kg and Rieke is 5kg. They are fed 6 times per day and are
both taking soft fruit and baby rice in addition to their milk. Rieke is a
particularly good eater and both babies seem to enjoy each other’s company!”
Visitors can see the babies
in their new playroom at Monkey World. The
park is open to the public every day, except Christmas Day, from 10am to 5pm
(10am to 6pm during July and August). For
more details, please go to www.monkeyworld.org.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
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| Rieke © Monkey World – Ape Rescue
Centre |
Nick Mertens
19 augustus 2015
