Dental Conservation

Though it’s too soon for Khaleesi to have teeth come in, the keepers at the El Paso Zoo are monitoring the baby’s dental development in order to contribute to worldwide conservation research! This is a perfect example of how Zoos contribute to worldwide conservation efforts.  On a daily basis using positive reinforcement training, the orangutan trainers will cue Ibu to present Khaleesi to them. This allows the keepers and trainers to examine Khaleesi up close.  Khaleesi is accustomed to the orangutan care staff and will allow them to examine her gums for any teeth that may be coming in. Again, at the moment, none are coming in. However, Khaleesi does appear to have healthy gums!

Dental observations help sanctuaries and wildlife rehabilitation facilities in Indonesia and Asia, where deforestation and poaching have led to orphaned animals, estimate the age of the orphans.

When orangutans are observed in the wild or when they are orphaned in sanctuaries and rehabilitation facilities in South East Asia, the birth dates are usually unknown. Likewise, all current research indicates that cutting teeth – and when a baby starts teething – is less affected by environment than was previously believed. That means that zoo babies can be good models for tooth eruption in wild orangutans even though they grow up in different environments.

Only 1 out of 6 orphans are lucky enough to be rescued – more than 1,000 orphaned orangutans are living in rescue and rehabilitation centers. Orphans may have lost their mothers because of poaching, or the mother might have been killed from wandering into an encroaching palm oil or paper plantation. Poachers who kill the mother often illegally sell the orphaned infant orangutans as pets.

By helping conservationists come closer to gaging the age of the orphans, this information can help them better plan and prepare orangutans for release into the wild. Also, more correct and consistent age assignment will help build stronger cases for enforcement of existing laws that protect orangutans in areas suffering from deforestation, poaching and other threats.

•  Orangutans (and humans) only get one set of molars, but two sets of premolars.

• Orangutans have 20 baby teeth and 32 permanent adult teeth.

• Orangutan dental emergence, or teeth coming in, is markedly slower than in chimpanzees and more closely parallels humans.

Model Behavior

Have you brought your babies to see Ibu’s baby Khaleesi?

Ibu has been observed mimicking human mommy behavior! If you’ve been a new mommy, maybe you’ve looked to your friends and colleagues (and blogs!) for tips and advice. 

Since the day Khaleesi was born, the orangutan keepers have spent many hours making daily observations of Ibu and Khaleesi to contribute orangutan conservation and research worldwide. As scientists, the keepers are documenting crucial information by taking pictures and notating the orangutan’s behavior in their observation logs. 

Keepers are observing Ibu modeling the same parental behavior as human mommies trying to care for their babies! On this day, Ibu intently watched as this mom held her baby close to the side of her body.  Ibu tried to mimic the same pose.

And if you’ve ever wrapped your baby or used a baby carrier, maybe you have felt just like an orangutan mom…your infant holding on to you – hands free!

Ibu and Khaleesi are now on exhibit all day Friday – Monday. Please note they do have access to their indoor living spaces and may not be immediately visible during that time.

New Hours! Come visit Mommy and baby Friday - Monday!

Mommy Ibu and  Baby Khaleesi are now on exhibit Friday - Monday all day! Stop by on the weekends and see the baby.

Daddy Butch will be on exhibit Tuesday - Thursday.

Please remember the orangutans have access to their indoor living spaces and many not be immediately visible.

that sweet Baby Face

Ibu is very attentive, as you can see in this moment the zookeepers captured between mommy and baby. On this particular day, she was being playful with Khaleesi.

Ibu checks her nearly four-month old's face to make sure she’s doing okay and is comfortable.  Mommy and daughter are making direct eye contact so Ibu can be sure Khaleesi is fine with her playful acts. Orangutan mothers and infants are just like human primates.  They will communicate verbally, as well as by subtle facial expressions.

Then, pressing her mouth to Khaleesi’s forehead, Ibu gages the baby’s temperature to make sure she’s not too hot. If you’re a mommy, maybe you remember just looking at your baby like this to make sure he or she was doing okay … or maybe you remember just bringing your little one in close for that sweet baby head smell.