Awww: Mother and Daughter Sumatran Orangutans

Photo taken on Nov. 8, 2013, by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo.

A two-week-old, female Sumatran orangutan at the San Diego Zoo is cradled by her mother, Indah, who inspects the baby’s hands and fingers. The baby, sporting shaggy, reddish-orange hair in tufts was born with spindly arms, longer than her body, and a natural instinct to hold tightly to her mother.


     Indah gave birth to the baby Oct. 25 in her off-exhibit bedroom under the watchful eyes of her keepers. Animal care staff report the little primate is healthy, nursing, and being very well taken care of by her protective and attentive mother. This is the second baby born to Indah, and dad, Satu, who shares the same habitat but takes no role in caring for the youngster.

     The baby and her mother can be seen in their exhibit on Orangutan Trail at the San Diego Zoo. They also may be watched on the Zoos Ape cam at www.sandiegozoo.org/apecam.

     Orangutans are native to the Southeast Asian islands of Borneo and Sumatra. The Sumatran orangutan is critically endangered, with an estimate of less than 7,000 remaining in the wild. Their populations have declined drastically in recent years as a result of habitat conversion to palm oil plantations, over-harvesting of timber and human encroachment.

Giant Panda Climbs Cake During First Birthday

Giant Panda Climbs Cake During First Birthday at San Diego Zoo

     Giant panda cub Xiao Liwu reached for treats at the top of his birthday cake this morning at the San Diego Zoo. The panda received the three-tiered ice cake in honor of his first birthday. The exhibit queue was filled with guests looking to get a glimpse of mom and cub moments after the Zoo opened to the public.

     The cub, whose name means “little gift”, now weighs 41 pounds and measures 3 feet, 4 inches tall. Xiao Liwu is still nursing and not eating solids but was very interested in the sweet treats that were placed in and around his cake.

     Staff from the Zoo began creating the cub’s cake three weeks ago and finished it off with bows made out of bamboo leaves, colored pieces of ice, and a “1″ on top. The cake design included a bowl in the bottom tier that was filled with the giant pandas’ favorite fruits and vegetables  – yams, carrots and apples.

     Animal care staff also stuffed boxes with alfalfa and biscuits and hung them from the trees in the exhibit he shares with his mom, Bai Yun. The cub was able to show off his agility when he climbed and balanced on limbs while opening the boxes.

     Xiao Liwu is the son of Gao Gao, a wild-born male giant panda who arrived at the San Diego Zoo on Jan. 15, 2003. His mother, Bai Yun, a 21-year-old captive-born female giant panda, arrived at the San Diego Zoo in September 1996.

“Are You ‘Takin’ About Me?”

“Are You ‘Takin’ About Me?”
     Two-week-old takin calf Linshuh practiced his climbing at the San Diego Zoo this morning. Born on Feb. 2 and weighing around 19 pounds, Linshuh, whose name means “silver snake” in Mandarin, was appropriately named for the year of the snake and because of his extra-silvery coat of fur.

     Native to the Sichuan Province in China, takins are excellent climbers due to their unique split hooves, an adaption that helps them move around easily in a rocky habitat. Linshuh has already been practicing his climbing skills and is gaining confidence scampering up the rocky terrain in his habitat, one step at a time.

     Linshuh’s birth marks the 54th takin born at the San Diego Zoo, which is the most successful breeding program of Sichuan takins in the United States. The San Diego Zoo was the first zoo to exhibit Sichuan takins to the public and has had tremendous success with its takin breeding program. The Zoo has always kept a medium-size herd to keep genetic diversity for breeding; as a result, many births have occurred.
Photo taken on Feb. 19, 2013, by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo.