"It's a huge deal to have a baby orangutan," said Milwaukee Zoo spokeswoman Jennifer Dilberti Shea to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal Online right before Mahal, a 9 month old infant orangutan (r, below), was sent to their zoo.  He was given to a surrogate mother, 27 year old adult orangutan, "M.J." (l, below), who had successfully been one before.  Obviously as you can see from the picture, the unique arrangement worked.   This duo wouldn't be complete without 25 year old, fully-flanged adult, Tommy (pic further down).

                                                                            

It was my first time I saw an orangutan.  And I have to tell you, I was in awe....or maybe words cannot explain.  Then I thought of all the different books I have read on the orangutan, especially the ones about what will most likely make them extinct: deforestation, poaching, and the pet trade.  My mind went there because they are like little people and I couldn't imagine how someone could harm such beautiful creatures.  It's also because it's a very real thing.  We are destroying their habitat, one acre at a time.

Since this blog is about the Orangutan Exhibit at Milwaukee County Zoo, I urge URGE the Dear Reader to please educate yourself on these beautiful creatures and how you can make a difference.

The orangutan exhibit consists of three large rooms in the primate building and an outside enclosure (where the above picture was taken).  Room numbers one and three consisted mostly of hay and nothing else. (little Mahal, below, pic taken from Milwaukee Sentinel).

                                                                    

The second, or middle, room is where all the action (or enrichment as it's called) happens.  There the three can play in the ropes, climb the wood logs and sit in a hammock.  There's even a plastic blue kiddie pool where Tommy likes to sit and use as his throne.  Tommy with Mahal in the middle room (below center), Tommy (right, below), and Mahal kissing M.J. (left, below)...and yes, orangutans do kiss as a salutation just like us!  All the pictures below this paragraph was taken by Richard Zimmerman, Director of Orangutan Outreach, http://redapes.org

                                                                   
                                                      

As I approached the exhibit (I spent the whole day in that building going between the orangutans and bonobos), room three is the first to come into view.  I saw this little white, worn out bed sheet, with something small underneath it moving (I took the pic on the top of the blog).  It was Mahal, playing peek-a-boo with the small crowd that had gathered, mesmerized with this creature.  It reminded the children of the games they play in their bedrooms and amazed the adults that this little creature was actually an animal.

Excitedly, I walked over to the middle window and saw Tommy sitting in the blue kiddie pool against the wall and M.J. on the opposite side covering her head in hay.  She didn't seem to want to wake up just yet.  From what I was told, the food was in the kiddie pool and Tommy was sitting on it.  The three rooms were adjoined by these little doors, the middle one had one door leading to the outside enclosure.  It was too cold just yet for them to go outside, although I was told Tommy never goes outside.  I walked a little further and room one was empty.

Going back, watching above the crowds, I saw the little figure show himself.  He was beautiful, like a work of art.  Not more than 12 inches tall, there he was, loving the limelight.  Then I looked closer and studying him in amazement: his fur, his skin, his hands, even his clubbed feet (which he was born with).  He was beautiful in every way, walking bi-pedally, looking at us.  I was surprised he was alone playing rather than being with his "mother" because in the wild, Mahal would be with his mother for five years.  Literally, together, never apart.

I thought of what's going on in the world of Mahal's brothers and sisters.  The destruction, the annihilation of his species, the murdering of his mothers and selling off of their infants, the starvation of his fathers.  How can anyone do such a thing?  It was one thing to read about it, but to actually see one up close really made an impact on me.

While others were watching, looking at Mahal, babies screaming, children wanting to go see the other animals, I just sat there disappointed in humanity for allowing this to happen.   We are directly responsible for the killing off of an entire species.  Because we need to put palm oil as an ingredient or a cheaper wood table.  Consumerism is destroying the rainforest and with it, its' inhabitants.

It all starts with us - all of us, each individual.  We can make a difference.  There's more to come.                     



Thank you to Richard Zimmerman, Director of Orangutan Outreach, for the pictures.  There are many websites on Orangutans, but this one is THE one resource to go to, their website: http://redapes.org





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