New Orangutan Baby Is Bright as Sunshine
May 19, 2017
A Bornean Orangutan was born on December 5 at Zoo Krefeld, in Germany.
Proud mother, Lea, welcomed the lovely female infant. Because of the baby’s beautiful orange-red coloring, keepers decided to name her Suria, from the Malay (Sanskrit) word for “sun”.
Suria is the third infant born to Lea, and her older brother, Changi, has embraced the presence of his new sibling.
Although Suria is beginning to explore her exhibit, she still prefers to cling to the safety of her mother, as can be seen in these amazing images captured by photographer, Arjan Haverkamp.
Photo Credits: Arjan Haverkamp
The Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is a species of Orangutan native to the island of Borneo. Together with the Sumatran Orangutan, it belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia. Like other great apes, Orangutans are highly intelligent, displaying advanced tool use and distinct cultural patterns in the wild.
The Bornean Orangutan is classified as “Critically Endangered” on the IUCN Red List, with deforestation, palm oil plantations and hunting posing a serious threat to its continued existence.
The total number of Bornean Orangutans is estimated to be less than 14% of what it was in the recent past. This sharp decline has occurred mostly over the past few decades due to human activities and development.
Species distribution is now highly patchy throughout Borneo; it is apparently absent or uncommon in the southeast of the island, as well as in the forests between the Rejang River in central Sarawak and the Padas River in western Sabah (including the Sultanate of Brunei). A population of around 6,900 is found in Sabangau National Park, but this environment is at risk.
According to Harvard University anthropologist, Cheryl Knott, in 10 to 20 years, Orangutans are expected to be extinct in the wild if no serious effort is made to overcome the threats they are facing.