Orangutans

### About our Orangutans

Meet the Woodland Park Zoo's orangutans! Heran and Belawan (a.k.a. Bela) are Bornean orangutans, and Godek and Batu are Sumatran orangutans. Each pair shares an exhibit and get along very well, but due to competition between males, the two pairs do not share the same space. The orangutans know their names and seem to recognize other spoken words as well. They also recognize some non-verbal forms of communication like hand signals. Each orangutan is intelligent and has a distinct personality. They all have different needs when it comes to their daily care, making every day with them different and exciting!

### What are their favorite snacks/treats?

The orangutans get special food enrichment daily! Their favorites are mixed nuts, peanuts, popcorn, diluted juice, popsicles made by their care team and small amounts of peanut butter. They also love any kind of fruit.

### Orangutan conservation

Forests are home and habitat to more than 75% of our planet's terrestrial life and protect the health and well-being of all living creatures. You can help protect the tropical rainforests orangutans depend on by purchasing food and other products made with certified sustainable palm oil. View our sustainable palm oil guide to ensure your consumer decisions help in the protection of forests and safeguard the homes of orangutans.

Woodland Park Zoo supports species-saving initiatives working towards ensuring a brighter future for these intelligent and iconic animals, including partnering with the Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Program to support forest-friendly livelihoods and education in communities that share orangutan habitat in and around Gunung Palung National Park. The zoo also works with HUTAN Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Program to help meet the needs of local people and to restore critical habitat corridors for orangutans, elephants, hornbills and other endangered species in Malaysian Borneo.

## Animal Stories

### Heran

Heran is the only adult male and is the largest of all the orangutans. He has cheek pads, long hair and a large throat sac. Heran is an ape who feels everything deeply. When he gets excited or upset or worked up, he’s quick to make a big display, but you might find him ducking behind a rock five minutes later—he’s known to hide when he feels uncertain about a situation. Heran feels most confident when he settles into a routine, and if that routine includes lots to eat, all the better. This big guy has a big appetite. Heran has the nickname Squeaker because when he was younger, he would make a high-pitched squeaking sound when he liked or wanted something. He is also known for loving a good scratch on the back- who wouldn't?

### Belawan (a.k.a Bela)

Look for Bela’s long coat (which she loves getting brushed), and beautiful eyes rimmed in a lighter skin color. She is independent and curious, but boy can she be stubborn! Belawan is inquisitive and inventive. She loves to break branches outside and bring them inside to “fish” for things that are meant to be out of her reach—like plants, hoses and garbage can liners. She is also known for tying knots in sheets and has even been seen making a tent. One day, she was found in a hammock that she'd made out of a sheet and hung up herself.

### Godek

Godek is easily distinguished from the other male, Heran, because he has not yet developed prominent cheek pads. He is young, energetic and always ready to explore! He also loves to brush his teeth. Godek is part of a research study that is looking at how male orangutans mature. Every week, we take pictures of his face and forearms. We also collect weekly urine samples from him which are analyzed to compare his hormone levels with the growth of his cheek pads and arms.

### Batu

The skin on Batu's eyelids is very light, which is a sign of being young. This lightness will go away as she matures. You can often spot her with her favorite purple blanket, or eating one of her favorite snacks which is peanuts. Batu can collect her own urine in a dixie cup. We track the females' cycles and so we collect urine from her daily.

## References

https://www.zoo.org/tropicalasia

https://mailchi.mp/zoo/june2022-397788