Baby orangutan born at Blackpool Zoo shown off by proud mother
22.07.2023 - 20:19
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A baby orangutan born at Blackpool Zoo has been shown off to the park's visitors by its proud mother for the first time. The five-week-old baby was held up by his mother, Jingga, to delighted zoo guests.
The baby, who is yet to be named, is the first orangutan to be born in captivity in 20 years. It is hoped that the baby will help kickstart a new generation of the endangered animals.
Darren Webster, Blackpool Zoo's director, said: “The arrival of this very special baby is wonderful news, not just for us here at Blackpool Zoo, but for the species too.” He added: "The Bornean orangutan was classified as critically endangered in July 2016 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
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"This means that this species now faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. This makes breeding programmes such as the EEP absolutely vital, and we are hoping that this is the start of a new generation of beautiful Bornean orangutans here at Blackpool Zoo.”
Jingga, 13, held her baby up to the viewing windows at the zoo, with her arms outstretched and her head bowed. The baby then greeted the visitors with a big smile.
The baby will stay with his mother until he is around seven years old. This is so he can develop the skills he needs to be independent. He was born as part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).
Jingga was brought to Blackpool Zoo from Barcelona in 2017, while his father, Kawan, arrived from a Dutch Zoo in 2022. Kawan was picked from a breeding group after talks with EEP experts and specialist keepers.
It has been an exciting time for Blackpool Zoo's conservation works over the last few years. in