Baby orangutan abandoned by mother travels first class to monkey sanctuary

A baby orangutan born in a Spanish conservation centre has travelled first class across the English Channel to get special care at a Dorset monkey sanctuary.

Bornean orangutan Kiwi, who is nearly one year old, was rejected by her mother shortly after she was born at Rio Safari Elche in Alicante.

This, and failed attempts for another female orangutan to adopt her, prompted Kiwi’s relocation to Monkey World – Ape Rescue Centre (Europe’s specialist orangutan creche) on November 15.

Monkey World team leader for orangutans, Donna Phillips, spent a week with Kiwi in Spain before travelling to the UK with her and her carer, Anabel Ibanez, on-board the first class deck of P&O Ferries.

Jack Steer, P&O Ferries port operations director, said: “It is not every day we have an orangutan on-board and it was a special day for our P&O Liberte crew who greeted Kiwi and arranged a quiet place for her to stay as she sailed across the English Channel.”

Kiwi, who weighs more than 5kg (11lbs), is the second baby orangutan to join the Dorset creche for orphaned and rejected youngsters in a month, following three-month-old Sibu who moved to the site on October 15 from Dublin Zoo after his mother was unable to feed him.

The pair spend mornings and evenings together with the specialist Monkey World care staff and will eventually move up to the nursery full-time with four other young orangutans born in Hungary, Germany and the UK.

They are cared for by foster mother Oshine, an orangutan from Borneo rescued from the illegal pet trade in South Africa in 2010.

Monkey World director Dr Alison Cronin said: “It is so important that the babies grow up with others of their own kind rather than with people so that they mature into healthy and well-adjusted adults.

“With the addition of Kiwi and Sibu, Monkey World has cared for 13 orphans from seven countries over the years.

“It is hard work caring for two needy orphans but it means the kids will be able to grow up together under the watchful eyes of their older brothers and sisters and adopted mother.”

Dr Cronin added: “It is quite an international crowd at the orangutan nursery and, while it is very sad that they are not being cared for by their mothers, all of us from Spain to Ireland to Dorset are doing everything possible to give these gorgeous babies families of their own kind.”

The Independent