motherhood: a new WILD life ... from sonogram to orangutan : August 2016

Monday, August 22, 2016

It's it so fun to have a little one? We love watching Khaleesi grow - looks like Ibu likes watching, too!

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motherhood: a (new) wild life: Ibu was born August 1, 1991 at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans and came to the El Paso Zoo on June 16, 1997. This is the first pregnancy for 23-year-old Ibu. Ibu is an intelligent, curious, petite orangutan. She has been training for husbandry and motherhood for several years. Ibu is an artist who loves bright colors. Her work has been published in a book available on www.amazon.com titled, “Fur in My Paint.” Ibu likes chapstick and painting her nails. Ibu knows a wide variety of commands that allow her to communicate with trainers, with who she has developed a trust-based relationship. She voluntarily presented urine samples for pregnancy testing and also presents her stomach to receive sonograms. Currently Ibu is training to voluntarily present her future baby to her trainers for medical examinations and additional feeding by using a wood block orangutan doll that is the same size and weight as a baby orangutan. She is gradually beginning to use a stuffed animal baby orangutan. If you would like to purchase a stuffed orangutan baby for Ibu to practice her mothering skills, you may do so at the El Paso Zoo gift shop.

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