Do Orangutans Have Human-like Memories?

Researchers have recently discovered that some ape species, chimps and orangutans, may have a memory similar to humans. In the past, scientists believed that time did not exist for animals. That animals only experienced the “now” and could not experience the past via memory. However Gema Martin-Ordas, PhD has been working with orangutans and chimps at the Leipzig Zoo in Germany to see if they can access “autobiographical” memories using a cue. Autobiographical memories are personal memories involving “I”, instead of memories involving the surroundings. Animals can remember routes in their habitats, such as where the trees are that produce. However, scientists are not sure if animals have the sense of self to think “I remember using this particular pathway to find fruit in this tree.”

Martin-Ordas and her colleagues took eight chimps and four orangutans and placed them in caged testing rooms. The apes watched as Martin-Ordas placed a banana on the outside of the room. The apes then watched as she placed two sticks of differing lengths in two separate boxes. Only one of the sticks was the right length to get the banana. Each ape had to find the right tool, head back to the room, and then use the tool to get to the banana. Each ape did it four times and all were successful in completing it.

For the next few years Martin-Ordas and her colleagues performed similar tests with the apes again, but not the exact same ones. Last year the original test was performed exactly the same. It was hoped that the original cues, Martin-Ordas, the room, and the puzzle, would remind the apes that they had to go search for the stick to get the banana. All, but one of the apes successfully completed the test.

This experiment are making scientists reevaluate the memory capabilities of animals, at least of apes.

Orangutans may be able to hold personal memories like humans can.

Reference:

• Morrell, V. (2013, July 19). Ape Memory: Chimpanzees, Orangutans May Have Humanlike ‘Autobiographical’ Memory.Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 8, 2013, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/19/ape-memory-chimpanzees-orangutans-human-autobiographical_n_3623802.html

Regina Phalange

The cheek pads that grow on adult males orangutans are called flanges. There are also a few other types of phalanges.

References:

http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/orangutan

http://www.daviddarling.info/images/hand_anatomy.png

Brookfield Zoo’s Orangutans

In 2012, I got to visit the Brookfield Zoo with a friend. It is a large, beautiful zoo. However my favorite part, shockingly, was the orangutans. They are located in Tropic World: Asia. There are five orangutans: two adult males, two adult females, and one juvenile female. Maggie and Brunei form one group, and Ben, Sophia, and Kekasih form another. They rotate which group is on exhibit.  

Maggie:

 

Source: http://www.czs.org/CZS/Maggie50

Maggie is a female Bornean orangutan. She was born on July, 18, 1961 at the San Diego Zoo. She is currently the oldest orangutan in an AZA zoo in North America. She was transferred to the Brookfield Zoo in February of 1995 from the Milwaukee Zoo. When she arrived to Brookfield Zoo, Maggie had a weight problem, brittle hair, dry skin, and bad digestion. After some research, the keepers and vet staff discovered that Maggie had a thyroid problem. With training, medicine, and a high fiber diet, Maggie has lost 90 lbs., her hair and skin are healthy, and she is digesting her food just fine. That is an extreme makeover any human would envy.

In April of 1995, Mukah, a former orangutan at the Brookfield Zoo, was born at the Lincoln Park Zoo. He was rejected by his mother soon after birth. A search was put out nationwide for a surrogate mother so he wouldn’t have to be hand-raised. A mother was found in the same city. Maggie, who reared four children of her own, picked Mukah up and raised him as her own. She even began lactating even though she hadn’t given birth in years.

Brunei:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: http://www.brookfieldzoo.org/pgpages/pagegen.151.aspx

Brunei is male hybrid orangutan. He was born On March 29, 1991 at the Brookfield Zoo. Over the last few years, Brunei has gone from a scrawny, shy orangutan to a husky, confident orangutan. Maturation of Brunei has given him an “extreme makeover” as well. Now that he has the muscles and the cheek pads, Brunei tries to show off to the other male, Ben. Brunei will flex his arms and hold heavy objects over his head to show Ben he is strong and to be feared. Ben though also has a fun side. He loves enrichment, especially if it involves food. Then again, who doesn’t?

Kekasih:

 

 

 

 

 

Source: http://tribwgnam.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/gibbonorangutan.jpg?w=300&h=168

Kekasih is a female Bornean orangutan. She was born October 6, 2008 at the Brookfield Zoo to Sophia and Ben. She has made a friend with a white-cheeked gibbon earlier this year. Recently the BZ combined the orangutans and gibbons into one exhibit. Multi-species exhibits provide lots of enrichment for all species involved. It creates a more natural habitat for the animals. The young white-cheeked gibbon and Kekasih have bonded and have been seen playing with each other.

Sophia:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2008/10/brand-new-baby-orangutan-at-the-brookfield-zoo.html

Sophia is a female Bornean orangutan. She was born on February 18, 1981 at the Brownsville Zoo. She was transferred to the Brookfield Zoo in July 1992 from the San Diego Zoo. As an infant, Sophia had to be hand-raised by humans because her mother rejected her. Because orangutans learn behaviors from their mothers, Sophia did not know how to be a proper mom to her offspring. However because orangutans are intelligent and can learn by example, keepers were able to successfully teach Sophia how to hold, feed, and care for her infant. She was the first orangutan to be taught from humans how to be a good mother. 

Ben:

Ben is a male Bornean orangutan. He was born on October 8, 1978 at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo. He was transferred from the Omaha Zoo to Brookfield in July 1992. Ben is the father of Kekasih.

References:

• Press. (1995, April 9). Zoo Searches for Surrogate Orangutan Mother. AP News Archive. Retrieved August 1, 2013, from http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1995/Zoo-Searches-for-Surrogate-Orangutan-Mother/id-23331217ef3c45ee87e9031eb28cb3e1
• Berman, C. (2013, January 30). Gibbon and orangutan meet, hang at Brookfield Zoo — chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune: Chicago breaking news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and traffic – chicagotribune.com. Retrieved August 1, 2013, from http://www.chicagotribune.com/videogallery/74226182/News/Gibbon-and-orangutan-meet-hang-at-Brookfield-Zoo
• Zoo. (n.d.). Brunei Orangutan. Brookfield Zoo. Retrieved August 1, 2013, from http://www.brookfieldzoo.org/pgpages/pagegen.151.aspx
• Elder, M. (2012). 2011 International Studbook of the Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus, Pongo abelii). Saint Paul: Como Park Zoo.
• Morales, T. (2009, February 11). Orangutan Makeover Wins Kudos – CBS News. Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News – CBS News. Retrieved August 1, 2013, from http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500199_162-659455.html
• Mullen, W. (1998, May 15). Brookfield Zoo’s Orangutan Birth Beat All The Odds – Chicago Tribune. Featured Articles From The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 1, 2013, from http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1998-05-15/news/9805150291_1_zoo-atlanta-zoo-world-san-diego-zoo

 

 

A Very Moving Story

Orangutans build new nests everyday to sleep in. They use leaves, twigs, branches, and anything else they can find.

Phoenix Zoo

I was planning on visiting the Phoenix Zoo on July 1. My trip was canceled though due to record breaking temperatures. The PZoo is mainly outdoors and I didn’t want to battle the heat without shade. I was highly disappointed though because the Phoenix Zoo is the only zoo in Arizona with orangutans. There are three orangutans residing at this zoo:  mother, father, and daughter. In Spring of 2011, the PZoo opened up Orang-Hutan: “People of the Forest.” This new facility gave a large outdoor exhibit and two indoor exhibits for the orangutans to roam around. In June of 2012, the oldest living orangutan at the time, Duchess, passed due to cancer.

Bess:

Photo credit: Denise Wagner

Bess is a female Bornean orangutan. She was born at the Phoenix Zoo on March 26, 1979 to Duchess. She is the mother of Kasih and the mate of Michael. Kasih is her first offspring. Bess is shy and uses the large exhibit to keep her distance away from Michael. However she is bright and learns new behaviors very easily. Something she taught herself was if she got her hand wet by the misters and held it over her head, she would keep herself cool.

Michael:

Photo credit: Denise Wagner

Michael is a male Bornean orangutan. He was born at the Los Angeles Zoo on March 27, 1987. He was transferred to the Phoenix Zoo in October 2000. He is Kasih’s father. He is the dominant orangutan in the group and has an outgoing, comedic personality. He loves playing with enrichment will play tricks on the keepers, such as spitting water at them.

Kasih:

Photo credit: Denise Wagner

Kasih is a female Bornean orangutan. She was born at the Phoenix Zoo on January 27, 2006. She is a playful young orangutan. Before her grandmother, Duchess, died, Kasih would play around with her the most. She has characteristics of both her parents: shy, sensitive, and comedic. Another personality trait is intuition. She has correctly predicted outcomes to Cardinal’s games and the 2012 Fiesta Bowl.

References:

• Phoenix Zoo Orangutan Conservation Education Center. (n.d.). Orangutan Conservation Education Center. Retrieved July 15, 2013, from http://engage.aza.org/orangutans/orangutans-at-accredited-zoos/phoenix-zoo/
• Gibson, Y. (2011, December 29). Orangutan predicts Fiesta Bowl, Insight Bowl winners | azfamily.com Phoenix . azfamily.com . Retrieved July 15, 2013, from http://www.azfamily.com/good-morning-arizona/Orangutan-predicts-136386203.html
• Kusj, S. (2012, November 28). Phoenix Zoo’s orangutan Kasih picks Powerball numbers. ABC15 Arizona | KNXV-TV Phoenix | News, Weather, Sports, Things To Do. Retrieved July 15, 2013, from http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/local_news/water_cooler/phoenix-zoos-orangutan-kasih-picks-powerball-numbers
• Schwartz, D. (2012, June 24). Duchess Dead: Phoenix Zoo Orangutan Dies After Long Battle With Cancer. Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. Retrieved July 15, 2013, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/25/duchess-dead-bornean-orangutan_n_1623158.html
• Zoo. (n.d.). Phoenix Zoo Orangutans. Phoenix Zoo Education Home. Retrieved July 15, 2013, from http://edventures.phoenixzoo.org/pOrangutan.html

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo

The Orangutan Forest was opened in 2005. It is 15 times larger than the old orangutan exhibit, which is great. The trees have timed enrichment traps, so the orangutans get the enrichment at various times throughout the day. These traps encourage the orangutans to seek and find the food throughout the trees, a natural behavior.

Sepilok:

Sepilok is a female Bornean orangutan. She was born on July 22, 2001 at the Hong Kong Zoo. She transferred to the Omaha Zoo in September of 2003. Sepilok is the name of an orangutan rehabilitation facility in Sandakan, Malaysia. Sepilok* was hanging around Amoi and climbing on the net while I was watching them.

Yasmine:

Yasmine is a female Bornean orangutan. She was born on February 17, 1978 at the Twycross Zoo in England. She was transferred to the Omaha Zoo in September of 2003 from Hong Kong. Yasmin is moving to another zoo soon to go live with a male orangutan. Yasmine* was cuddled up with a blanket in a branch when I went. She was really cute.

Amoi:

Amoi is a female Bornean orangutan. She was born at the Omaha Zoo on May 3, 2003. One enrichment she enjoys is playing in the sawdust and foraging for food items and toys. At the Zoo, Amoi* and another female were sitting next to each other by the net; alternating between relaxing and playing.

W’gasa:

W’gasa is a male orangutan. He was born on March 2, 2005 at the Omaha Zoo. W’gasa enjoys food enrichment. Last February he was given a frozen heart made out of koolaid. He joyously was sucking at it and eating it. W’gasa is a very active, young orangutan who likes to interact with the public. When I was at the zoo, he was doing the splits on the exhibit wall and reaching out to the guests. I got a good picture of him. Unfortunately it is a dark picture.

Chip:

Credit: April Gossmann

Chip is a Bornean male orangutan. He was born on January 29, 1993 at the Rochester Zoo. He was transferred to the Omaha Zoo in November of 1998. When I went to the Omaha Zoo, Chip was chilling in the left exhibit. He was on the ground in the shade relaxing.

Tukang Susu:

Tukang Susu is a Bornean male orangutan. He was born on January 27, 1998 at the Pittsburg Zoo. His name means “The Milkman.” The events following his birth changed how the zoo community worked with orangutans. As a baby, Tukang suffered a few medical crises. Also Ember, a female orangutan, took Tukang from his mother, Kim. Kim was not successful in getting him back. As a result, Ember ended up raising him. During Tukang’s second medical issue, both Ember and Kim were pregnant. Because Tukang was still a baby, it was worried that Tukang wouldn’t get the proper care from Ember, especially with his medical issues. To ensure all orangutans would get the proper care, orangutan husbandry changed over to behavior training using positive reinforcement. The results were transformative for the orangutans, staff, and the world. Orangutans that were once distrustful and distant, were interactive and trusting.

*I am not sure if I got the correct pictures of the three females. I am only guessing.

References:

• Farmarie, M. (2001). Response To A Medical Crisis: A New Approach To Orangutan Husbandry At The Pittzburg Zoo and Aquarium. The apes: challenges for the 21st century, conference proceedings (pp. 112-115). Chicago: Chicago Zoological Society.
•  Laukaitis, A. J. (2005, May 26). Orangutans get new exibit at Omaha zoo : The Lincoln Journal Star Online. Lincoln Journal Star Online : Lincoln’s news leader. Retrieved July 15, 2013, from http://journalstar.com/news/local/orangutans-get-new-exibit-at-omaha-zoo/article_65e59ab3-d527-5589-9cc2-3ec12ab9e824.html
•  Machain, C. (2012, February 14). Valentine’s Day at the zoo | Omaha.com Viewfinder. Omaha.com Viewfinder | Photos and video from the staff of the Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved July 15, 2013, from http://blogs.omaha.com/2012/02/14/valentines-day-at-the-zoo
• Perkins, Lori. International Studbook of the Orangutan. Chicago: Lincoln Park Zoo, 2002. Print.

Want To Buy An Orangutan For $200?

In a northern region on the island of Sumatra, named Aceh, lays the Limbat’s Zoo. This Zoo holds quite a few native species, including crocodiles, orangutans, sun bears, pangolins, hornbills, and gibbons. You’d think this would be a fun place to visit, but this zoo is not like your typical zoo in the States. These animals are for sale. It’s more like a large pet store than a zoo. The visitors come to check the animals out and can buy them if they want, pretty cheap too. A leopard can go for $25. And to show that this is a place that is transitory and severely frugal, the animals are either packed in small cages or tethered to trees and fed very little. This is the unfortunate truth for the exotic animal pet trade. People catch these animals and try to sell them for a quick buck. The pet trade is actually illegal in Indonesia, but there are hardly any prosecutions. It has a lot to do with government funding. There just isn’t enough police officers to go around.

Over the last decade, the exotic pet trade has seen an increase in the demand for these rare creatures. They are kept as pets, considered a delicacy, or is believed to have some medicinal purposes. These species are seen as a status symbol, so with the rise of income in the Indonesian cities came with it a rise in the demand for these endangered species. The poverty of the small villages that are near the rain forests are also perpetuating the pet trade. Poachers will persuade the villagers for very little money to go and trap the animals. It is a vicious cycle. Education and economic support for the rural communities  are vital steps in stopping the pet trade.

References:

• Jones, Aidan. “Why Exotic Animal Trade Grows in Asia.” The Christian Science Monitor. N.p., 28 January 2012. Web. 19 June 2013. <http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2012/0128/Why-exotic-animal-trade-grows-in-Asia&gt;.
• Kellogg, Bichard. “Illegal wildlife trade flourishes in Sumatra.” conservation news and environmental science news.. N.p., 10 June 2013. Web. 15 June 2013. <http://news.mongabay.com/2013/0610-kellogg-aceh-wildlife-trade.html&gt;.
• “Videos | Aceh.Net.” Aceh.Net | Connecting People. N.p., 8 Nov. 2012. Web. 15 June 2013. <http://aceh.net/videos/&gt;.

Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo’s Orangutans

The Fort Wayne Zoo has three orangutans. The orangutan exhibit at the FWCZ is pretty innovative. It is modeled after the the rainforest, the orangutan’s natural habitat. The viewing window of the exhibit is placed vertically halfway on the front wall. Through it you can see lots of trees scattered around the exhibit. The floor is normally covered with water to discourage the orangutans from going down there. This is to encourage the natural behavior of orangutans spending the majority of their time in trees. The keepers place blankets and other materials in the exhibit so the orangutans can make nests to sleep on at night.

Tengku:

Credit: Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo: http://kidszoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Tengku-orangutan-May-2008-10.jpg

Tengku is the only male at the FWCZ. He is a Sumatran orangutan who was born at Zoo Atlanta on July 3, 1986. He came to FWCZ in April of 1995. His favorite enrichment item is anything dealing with food. When I was at the zoo, I saw Tengku carrying around a blanket in the tree tops. Tengku had one baby with another Sumatran orangutan named Sayang. Tengku was the lucky one that got to pick the name of the baby. Presented with two options, Tengku used a paint brush to pick the name Dumadi. Sayang unfortunately died though soon after labor and Dumadi was transferred to Zoo Atlanta to be reared by a foster mother.

Melati:

Credit: Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo: http://kidszoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Melati-orangutan-May-2008.jpg

Melati is a hybrid orangutan. She was born on November 19, 1984 at the Yerkeys Primate Research Center at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. She moved to the FWCZ in April of 1995. Her favorite enrichment item is ice treats, especially on a hot day. 🙂 She is not on breeding recommendation because she is a hybrid. It is important for the conservation of a species to maintain genetic diversity by only breeding within a species.

Tara:

Credit: Columbus Zoo: Katrina McCauley/Jane McEvoy: http://www.czs.org/czs/Animal-Care/Animal-Husbandry/Orangutan-Husbandry-Manual/Enrichment-Catalog/Browse

Tara is the newest orangutan at the FWCZ. She was brought here from the Columbus Zoo to be a mate for Tengku. She is a Sumatran orangutan and was born at the Rio Grande Zoo on April 1, 1995. Her favorite enrichment item is not the PVC feeder, but the end cap. She likes to eat food from it and play with it. She is outgoing and playful.

References:

• Selzer, Angie. Personal interview. 11 June 2013.
•  American Zoological Association. ” » Columbus Zoo Orangutan Conservation Education Center.” Orangutan Conservation Education Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 June 2013. <http://engage.aza.org/orangutans/orangutans-at-accredited-zoos/colombus-zoo/&gt;.
•  GMA Online: Associated Press. “Dad orangutan uses brush to name baby | News | GMA News Online.”GMANetwork.com – Online home of the Kapuso Network. N.p., 11 Nov. 2006. Web. 12 June 2013. <http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/20573/news/weirdandwacky/dad-orangutan-uses-brush-to-name-baby&gt;.
•  Perkins, Lori. International Studbook of the Orangutan. Chicago: Lincoln Park Zoo, 2002. Print.

Kansas City Zoo Orangutans

In early May, I got to visit the Kansas City Zoo. I got a personal tour from one of my friends, a zookeeper in the Discovery section. It was unfortunately a rainy, cold day so a lot of the animals were not outside. However I got to see the animals I mainly wanted to see, the orangutans. Thanks to their inside enclosure. Three orangutans were hanging out by the window, checking me out as I checked them out. The baby especially was adorable. Kali, who shares my name, followed me along the glass and made funny faces. She was too adorable. There are 6 orangutans at the KCZ, split into two groups: Berani and TK; Rufus, Jill, Josie, and Kalijon.

Rufus:

Rufus is a Bornean orangutan who was born at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago on October 8, 1988. He was at the Hogle Zoo for a bit before being transferred to the KCZ in May 2003. He is Jill’s partner. When I visited, he was hanging out on the fire hose swing. Kali came and interacted with him a bit, but went back to the window.

Jill:

Source: http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2009/10/babys-got-a-new-mom.html

Jill is a Bornean orangutan who was born at the Los Angeles Zoo on May 25, 1976. She was transferred to the KSZ in October of 1988. Jill is Josie’s mother and Kali’s surrogate mother. After her partner died, Jill was paired with Rufus for companionship. While pregnant with Josie, Jill was monitored by scientists.  Her’s was the first pregnancy to be followed completely through. This allowed the scientists to learn more about orangutans and potentially about their behavior in the wild. While I was at the KCZ, Jill was hanging out by the window and interacted with Kali. Jill was living in the stall next to Kali as she was being hand reared by the keepers. She was very attentive too, telling the keepers when Kali needed to be cared for.

Josie:

Josie is a Bornean orangutan and was born on June 8, 2002 at the Kansas City Zoo. Her father died while she was very young. Rufus is a kind of adoptive father. Her and Kali have been increasingly getting along as she as gotten older. They will occasionally play together. Josie will even carry Kali around. One enrichment Josie enjoys is painting.

Kali:

Credit goes to Stacie Beckett of the Kansas City Zoo

Kali is the latest star of the orangutan clan at the KCZ. She was born on April 24, 2009 at the KCZ to TK and Berani. TK, though, didn’t want to raise Kali, so the keepers had to step in. The keepers and volunteers took turns feeding, playing, and watching out for Kali. After about 5 months, Kali was handed over to Jill to care for. Jill took to her right away. Kali is enthusiastic and like to interact with guests, at least she did with me. Check out the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qewGUrvwmpw. She was tapping on  the glass and making silly faces.

TK:

Credit: Laura Laverick of the Kansas City Zoo. 2013.

TK is a Bornean orangutan who was born on April 22, 1985 at the Omaha Zoo. TK is Berani’s partner. She is also Kali’s biological mother. However TK couldn’t master the skill of holding Kali near her nipple so she could nurse. The keepers tried as soon as they received TK to train her these motherly skills. TK has mothered two previous orangutans, but those too had to be hand reared. She was a loving mother, but never nursed the babies. She would instead hold them on her head. Her and Berani bonded instantly when put together in 2008. This last birthday she enjoyed crepe paper, color books, chalk, and sleep. Who doesn’t deserve rest and relaxation on their birthday?

Berani:

Berani is a Bornean orangutan who was born on June 27, 1999 at the Lowry Park Zoo. He was transferred to the KCZ in 2008 to breed with TK. Him and TK are very fond of each other. Berani is very fond of enrichment, especially yummy treats.

Orangutan Genus Name is Same as Disney Character

Can anyone guess which Disney character?