What does a one-year-old Sumatran orangutan like to do? Climb, explore, and climb some more!
Khaleesi is becoming more independent and Ibu is more comfortable letting her explore on her own. Ibu has always carried Khaleesi into the trees in their habitat to help her learn. Now, Khaleesi is climbing smaller trees or climbing smaller structures independently, but never strays far from her mother - Khaleesi will remain close to Ibu.
Visiting the Zoo or watching on the webcams, it’s easy to see orangutans are specially adapted for life in the treetops – you can see Ibu and Butch on exhibit swinging and climbing high! Sumatran Orangutans are native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra, and are found nowhere else in the wild. They are listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Only about 7,000 remain in the wild.
Zoo staff have made some changes to the exhibit to help Khaleesi get around as she explores more. You can see:
- An additional special climbing structures (strong enough for dad, but small enough for baby!)
- Newly adjusted the fire hoses that are more accessible for little hands
- Additional swings for Khaleesi to play with
How have you, or how did you change your home and play areas as your little one grew and learned?
Though Khaleesi is beginning to spend more time climbing independently, she generally still rides on her mom, Ibu.
