North American Orangutan Population

Zoofan15 said:
Tapanuli genes discovered in North American population:

Needless to say, this could have major implications for the captive population.

UW researchers discover orangutan genome mix-ups that could affect zoo animals

One of the five animals identified as Sumatran in the 2011 paper turned out to be Tapanuli, which scientists wouldn’t have been expected to know at the time.

The Tapanuli was Bubbles, from the San Diego Zoo, a female that had eight descendants, some of which are still alive and in zoos, he said.
That led Banes and his colleagues to discover additional Tapanulis in zoos in the U.S. and elsewhere, with studies underway in Europe. He plans to publish a report soon on the extent of Tapanulis found, which he said raises questions for the future of orangutans in zoos.

“What are the zoos going to do if 50% of their population now has to be taken out of the breeding program?” he asked.
Click to expand...
I'm a little surprised that this is just now being discovered, 5 years after the Tapanuli Orangutan was confirmed to be a different species, but to be honest I'm unfamiliar with how long these things can take. Unfortunately I think it's quite unlikely that there are any pure Tapanuli orangutans left in the population.
 
xt=yaia said:
Unfortuntely I think it's quite unlikely that there are any pure Tapanuli orangutans left in the population.
Click to expand...

I wouldn’t expect there to be any purebred Tapanuli orangutans left in the population considering there’s no wild bred founders. For a purebred Tapanuli orangutan to exist, the numbers of purebred founders and first generation pairings to achieve this would make it improbable.

Zoos had enough trouble sustaining purebred Bornean versus Sumatran lines in the decades that preceeded the acknowledgment they were seperate species, without the odds of the Tapanuli species remaining intact.

This is a good thing as although it’d be exciting to see a purebred Tapanuli orangutan, the region is working hard to phase out hybrids and the discovery of multiple young hybrids would be a huge setback, especially considering this species can live 60 years.
 
Zoofan15 said:
I wouldn’t expect there to be any purebred Tapanuli orangutans left in the population considering there’s no wild bred founders. For a purebred Tapanuli orangutan to exist, the numbers of purebred founders and first generation pairings to achieve this would make it improbable.
Click to expand...
In the studbook, there's a few instances where pairs of orangutans seem to have been caught from the wild on the same day and moved to the same zoo, and have produced offspring. I think it could be possible that if they were caught from the same location, and if they were Tapanuli, then there could be purebred offspring still alive today. The article says a report on this will be published soon, I hope there aren't too many hybrid orangutans discovered. I still personally think there's may be undetected Bornean/Sumatran hybrids too, so hopefully this research will clear everything up.
 
xt=yaia said:
In the studbook, there's a few instances where pairs of orangutans seem to have been caught from the wild on the same day and moved to the same zoo, and have produced offspring. I think it could be possible that if they were caught from the same location, and if they were Tapanuli, then there could be purebred offspring still alive today. The article says a report on this will be published soon, I hope there aren't too many hybrid orangutans discovered. I still personally think there's may be undetected Bornean/Sumatran hybrids too, so hopefully this research will clear everything up.
Click to expand...

It's definitely a possibility, though when you get to second, third, fourth generation pairings, the odds of maintaining a purebred line by accident are more than slim.

I'm fascinated to hear what further research throws up. The idea our orangutan population could be reduced to a fraction of what we have now via elimination of hybrids is an undesirable concept, but fortunately one we're unlikely to face on a major scale. In any case, it's good to be certain.

I hope othet regions are as proactive now we know this is an issue.
 
Does this mean that hybrids that were labeled as "Sumatran" will no longer be allowed to breed in the program? Or will they continue to breed them as Sumatran Orangutans?
 
EsserWarrior said:
Does this mean that hybrids that were labeled as "Sumatran" will no longer be allowed to breed in the program? Or will they continue to breed them as Sumatran Orangutans?
Click to expand...
I'm not too sure but I think it'll depend on how many hybrids are discovered. If only a small amount of hybrids are found (there's 5 from what I know, but possibly more), then they'll probably not be allowed to breed. But if it turns out that the majority of Sumatrans are actually hybrids, they might just continue to breed, just like the Bornean population who may be a mix of the three subspecies. It would be a shame if so many had to be excluded from breeding, but I'd understand why.

Just thought I'd add the currently known Tapanuli x Sumatran hybrids:
- Benny, M, (Zoo Atlanta)
- Oliver, M, (Birmingham Zoo)
- Nairi/Nadira F, (Birmingham Zoo)
- Pongo, M, (Zoo Atlanta)
- Bella, F, (Louisville zoo)
- Rocky, M (Indianapolis Zoo) (is a Bornean x Sumatran x Tapanuli hybrid)
 
Sad news to start off the new year! :(

Daisy, at Sedgwick County, was euthanized this morning due to kidney and heart failure. She leaves behind her 11-year-old son, Kinali, and 4-year-old daughter, Lily.

Sedgwick County Zoo on Instagram: "It is with great sadness that we share the passing of 41-year-old Sumatran orangutan, Daisy. Yesterday morning, Daisy was discovered to be very ill and unresponsive. An emergency exam revealed kidney and heart failure. With a grave prognosis for this combination of organ failure, the medical team performed treatment, but after 24 hours Daisy’s condition hadn’t improved. This morning, the very difficult decision was made to humanely euthanize her in order to prevent any further suffering. Daisy came to Sedgwick County Zoo in 2009 and quickly claimed her place as one of the most popular celebrities of SCZ. Often described as a diva, Daisy did everything on her own terms. She was very smart and enjoyed “training” her people to do things for her. Her social nature and inquisitive personality earned her a loyal following of Zoo guests, eager to sit with her at her window with offerings of shiny jewelry, fresh manicures, or animal videos on their phones. Of course, Daisy’s favorite thing to look at was herself, resulting in many selfies being taken with her fans over the years. She was a wonderful orangutan, a devoted and tolerant mother, and she loved her people. Daisy is survived by her two children, Kinali (11) and Lily (4), both still living at SCZ. Keeper Devin, who cared for Daisy since she arrived at SCZ, says, “Daisy was an amazing individual. It’s hard to describe her because she was so dynamic and engaging. She was much loved and in losing her, I lost a close friend. She will never be forgotten and I will cherish seeing her in her kids each day.” Heart and Kidney Disease are each among the top three causes of death in the orangutan population. SCZ works with the Great Ape Heart Project, which is a group dedicated to better understanding cardiac disease in hopes of reducing the number of cardiovascular-related deaths and improving the health and welfare of great apes in human care."
Click to expand...
 
IndianRhino said:
Sad news to start off the new year! :(

Daisy, at Sedgwick County, was euthanized this morning due to kidney and heart failure. She leaves behind her 11-year-old son, Kinali, and 4-year-old daughter, Lily.
Click to expand...

Horrible news. :(
I'll hopefully be posting the 2022 list of orangutans soon.
 
The Naples Zoo has announced on there facebook that they are getting orangutan officially. They are currently constructing the netted habitat on the site of the former coyote exhibit. The exhibit will be 55 feet tall as well.

In the comments the zoo has also confirmed the orangutans will be coming from Zoo Tampa. Given the pictures they may be be getting a youngster alongside adults.
 
nczoofan said:
The Naples Zoo has announced on there facebook that they are getting orangutan officially. They are currently constructing the netted habitat on the site of the former coyote exhibit. The exhibit will be 55 feet tall as well.

In the comments the zoo has also confirmed the orangutans will be coming from Zoo Tampa. Given the pictures they may be be getting a youngster alongside adults.
Click to expand...

The orangutans will probably be:

0.1 Deedee (1980) and her two daughters; 0.1 Randee (2008) and 0.1 Dira (2018)
 
ZooTampa at Lowry Park - Tampa, Florida - 3.6.0
0.1, Deedee - January 8, 1980 - Dennis x Dolly
0.1, Josie - April 3, 1985 - Louis x Rosie
1.0, Goyang - June 21, 1999 - Gimpy x Ember
0.1, Hadiah - September 12, 2005 - Rango x Josie
0.1, RanDee - August 3, 2008 - Rango x Deedee
1.0, GoJo - December 20, 2015 - Goyang x Josie
0.1, Topi - February 17, 2016 - Goyang x Hadiah
0.1, Dira - January 6, 2018 - Goyang x Deedee
1.0, Riplee - November 15, 2020 - Goyang x RanDee
1.0 Sulu February 6th 2022 Goyang & Hadiah
 
Sacramento - a male infant was born on May 1st to first time parents, Makan and Indah. He is currently being handreared as Indah had trouble nursing him but the zoo is hoping to reintroduce him to Indah as soon as possible.

SacramentoZoo on Instagram: "The Sacramento Zoo is thrilled to announce that a Critically Endangered Sumatran orangutan has been born at the Zoo – the first orangutan birth at the Sac Zoo since 1981. With only 79 Sumatran orangutans in human care in the United States, and populations of wild orangutans rapidly declining, every birth is a monumental success for the species. Indah, the Zoo’s 19-year-old Sumatran orangutan, gave birth to a healthy male infant on the evening of May 1. Both mother and infant are doing well. After the birth of the infant, care staff began around the clock observations to be certain everything was going smoothly with the pair. While Indah’s behavior was appropriate, the first-time mother was having difficulty nursing, and the team made the decision to intervene in order to provide the infant with supplemental care. The baby is currently receiving around the clock care by animal care and veterinary staff while the team is continuously reevaluating plans to reunite the infant with Indah. The timeframe for reintroduction is unknown at this time, but that remains the ultimate goal. The infant and mother remain healthy and well, are being cared for behind-the-scenes, and are not currently visible to members of the public. The Zoo will continue to keep our community posted on how the pair are doing. We are looking forward to sharing more about this important birth. For now, we are including some pretty adorable pictures to tide you over! #SacramentoZoo"
Click to expand...
 
Naples Zoo's website has confirmed the 4 orangutans moving.

"We are excited for you to meet the family of four Borneo Orangutans that will be coming to Naples Zoo from Zoo Tampa. DeeDee is the oldest member of the group at 41 years old. She is the mother of 14-year-old, RanDee, and 4-year-old, Dira. DeeDee is also a grandmother to RanDee’s son, 2-year-old, Ripley."

Borneo Orangutan
 
Gladys Porter - 0.1 Dodie gave birth to a healthy female infant on July 19th. The sire is 1.0 Mango, and this is his first infant and Dodie’s fourth.

Gladys Porter Zoo on Instagram: "We are thrilled to announce that Dodie, our 46-year-old Sumatran orangutan, gave birth to a healthy baby girl on July 19 at 3:00 a.m. Both mom and baby are doing well. Presently, they can be seen together on exhibit between 9:00 and 10:30 am. Their time outdoors will be gradually increased as the newborn adapts to outdoor temperatures. This is Dodie’s fourth baby. She is an experienced and attentive mother so she easily transitioned into her new maternal duties. The father is Mango, a 31-year-old Sumatran orangutan who came to us on a breeding loan from the Rolling Hills Zoo in Salina, Kansas. Dodie is also the mother of Kade, an adolescent female, who presently resides here with Dodie, Mango and the new baby. The Gladys Porter Zoo has had a long history with orangutans. In its 52-year history, there have been 25 successful orangutan births. The Zoo was the first on record to perform a cesarean section on a great ape. The historic procedure was done on a female orangutan in 1970 by a local obstetrician and the late Don Farst, DVM, the Zoo’s previous veterinarian, and then, director. Sumatran orangutans are listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Their largest threat is habitat loss due large-scale conversion of forest to palm oil plantations, commercial logging, and farming. : Gunter Helmholz"
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top