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Orangutan baby arrives at Zoo Atlanta

Keju is a six-month old orangutan whose mother at the Dane County Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis., showed that she was unlikely to offer care to the youngster. Zoo experts agreed to send Keju to Zoo Atlanta, where a potential foster mother can take her in. Photo: Zoo Atlanta
Keju is a six-month old orangutan whose mother at the Dane County Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis., showed that she was unlikely to offer care to the youngster. Zoo experts agreed to send Keju to Zoo Atlanta, where a potential foster mother can take her in. Photo: Zoo Atlanta
By Bo Emerson
Oct 20, 2015

A baby Bornean orangutan, rejected by her mother in Madison, Wisc., has arrived at Zoo Atlanta where a foster mother waits.

Keju is six months old — still a baby in the orangutan world. Orangutan mothers typically nurse their offspring until age three or four.

Zoo Atlanta officials say that Keju will have the opportunity to meet Madu, a 32-year-old female Sumatran orangutan at Zoo Atlanta, who has successfully fostered three other infants.

Madu, who has no offspring of her own, will not be nursing the infant, but is trained to present the child to take a bottle from her caretakers, and is likely to provide all other aspects of maternal care, as she has with Remy, 4; Dumadi, 8; and Bernas, 13.

Orangutans have longer childhoods than do any other terrestrial mammal species, with the exception of humans, and frequently stay with their mothers until age 8.

About the Author

Bo Emerson is an Atlanta native and a long-time AJC feature and news writer.

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