At first glance, many people think orangutan dads are not as important. Orangutans are very nurturing with their babies, they have strong motherly instincts, and are known for being great mommies.
We have a family of orangutans here at the El Paso Zoo – Daddy Butch, Mommy Ibu and baby Khaleesi.
Butch is a great ape – literally! But he’s also learning to be a great dad. A year ago, after the community voted on two names for first-time parents Ibu and Butch, Butch choose Khaleesi as the name for his baby during a special Father’s Day enrichment activity!
Butch has been in close contact with Ibu and Khaleesi behind the scenes since her birth. The orangutan family sees each other daily through a protected mesh. The next major milestone for Khaleesi is to become independent enough from her mommy that the whole family can share a habitat space on exhibit.
Since their initial mommy and baby bonding days, Butch had access to see Ibu and Khaleesi, but the partition is the closest he physically has been to the two girls since the baby was born. Ibu loves showing off her baby – and showing Khaleesi to daddy Butch is no exception! Ibu holds the baby up to the mesh partition for Butch to see Khaleesi. Like their first introductions, Ibu is more assertive, while Butch remains shy in their partitioned meetings. Butch continues to watch mommy and baby daily.
While Ibu was first to touch Butch when they were first introduced through mesh, he was first to physically connect to her as they are reintroduced as parents. Ibu rested her fingers through the mesh, reaching toward Butch. He responded by gently resting his mouth to her hands. They stayed connected for a moment.
Orangutans are also a bit unusual among primates because they are semi-solitary – this means they spend most of their time alone, rather than in large groups like gorillas and chimpanzees. Here at the Zoo we try to manage our orangutans similar to how they would live in the wild – we let them spend time alone, and some time together, always acting in the best interest of the individual animals. In the wild, the father would not be a caretaker nor have any part in raising an infant orangutan. Some orangutans have been an exception to this rule, playing with and looking after babies.
As the introduction process continues, the orangutans grow closer - and get closer to being on exhibit together. When Khaleesi is ready, the Zoo’s animal care staff will go through a very carefully detailed and planned process, because we need to make sure that all goes well and prevent any injury to Khaleesi. First, Khaleesi needs to be mature enough to be independent away from mom. Then, introductions will begin through the same partition they communicate through now. Over time, they’ll spend more time together, interacting and communicating, before having full physical contact. Likewise, the animal care staff will have new babyproofing to do to the orangutan’s home as they prepare to be a family together.
If you’re lucky enough to spend a fun summer day with your dad, make the most of it (shameless plug here – why not take him to the zoo!). And if you’re not one of those lucky ones who has family nearby, take a minute to appreciate the good fathers you know – both the human and non-human varieties.
