History of Orangutan in Australasian Zoos

Zoofan15

Zoofan15

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Introduction

I thought it’d be interesting to have the histories of Australasia’s great apes recorded in one concise place - starting with orangutan.

I have partial notes on Auckland, Perth and Taronga Zoo which I will revise to include a complete history; and will also be detailing Adelaide, Melbourne, Wellington, Mogo and Sydney’s orangutans. The latter three facilities will be combined in a single post given they have held six orangutans between them.

Index:

1. Auckland Zoo
2. Adelaide Zoo
3. Perth Zoo
4. Wellington, Mogo and Sydney
5. Melbourne Zoo
6. Taronga Zoo
Ssgssgsg
 
Zoofan15 said:
Introduction

I thought it’d be interesting to have the histories of Australasia’s great apes recorded in one concise place - starting with orangutan.

I have partial notes on Auckland, Perth and Taronga Zoo which I will revise to include a complete history; and will also be detailing Adelaide, Melbourne, Wellington, Mogo and Sydney’s orangutans. The latter three facilities will be combined in a single post given they have held six orangutans between them.

Index:

1. Auckland Zoo
2. Adelaide Zoo
3. Perth Zoo
4. Wellington, Mogo and Sydney
5. Melbourne Zoo
6. Taronga Zoo
Ssgssgsg
Click to expand...

I have a list for Melbourne if your interested? It's not fully complete as I was planning to do a similar thread but at least it'll help as a start for you.
 
Auckland Zoo (Complete History)

——————————————————

1920’s to 1940’s

1.1 were imported in 1924:

1.0 Unnamed (Bornean)
Born in the wild (Borneo) Unknown
Arrived at Auckland Zoo 00/12/1924
Died at Auckland Zoo 00/01/1925

0.1 Unnamed (Bornean)
Born in the wild (Borneo) Unknown
Arrived at Auckland Zoo 00/12/1924
Died at Auckland Zoo 00/06/1927

1.0 was imported in 1926:

1.0 Unnamed (Unknown)
Born in the wild (Unknown) Unknown
Arrived at Auckland Zoo 20/01/1926
Died at Auckland Zoo 00/06/1928

0.1 was imported in 1939:

0.1 Ginger Rodgers (Sumatran)
Born in the wild (Sumatra) Unknown
Arrived at Auckland Zoo 00/00/1939
Died at Auckland Zoo 00/06/1943

——————————————————

1950’s to 1970’s

1.1 were imported from Taronga Zoo:

1.0 Turvey (Sumatran)
Born in the wild (Sumatra) 00/00/1954
Arrived at Auckland Zoo 11/09/1956 (via Taronga Zoo)
Died at Auckland Zoo 16/06/1971

0.1 Topsy (Sumatran)
Born in the wild (Sumatra) 00/00/1954
Arrived at Auckland Zoo 11/09/1956 (via Taronga Zoo)
Died at Auckland Zoo 09/11/1968

Topsy gave birth to one infant at Auckland Zoo:

0.0.1 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Stillborn at Auckland Zoo 29/05/1967
Sire: Turvey

——————————————————

1980’s to 1990’s

1.3 were imported in 1983:

0.1 Dara (Bornean)
Born at Frankfurt Zoo 16/06/1977
Arrived at Auckland Zoo 19/08/1983
Died at Auckland Zoo 25/06/2000

1.0 Horst (Bornean)
Born at Frankfurt Zoo 31/01/1978
Arrived at Auckland Zoo 19/08/1983
Sent to Busch Gardens 26/07/200

0.1 Indra (Bornean)
Born at Rotterdam Zoo 07/09/1980
Arrived at Auckland Zoo 19/08/1983
Sent to Busch Gardens 26/07/2009

1.0 was imported in 1984:

1.0 Charlie (Bornean)
Born at Singapore Zoo 21/03/1981
Arrived at Auckland Zoo 20/03/1984

Indra gave birth to two infants at Auckland Zoo:

0.1 Intan (Bornean)
Born at Auckland Zoo 17/03/1989
Sent to Busch Gardens 26/07/2009
Sire: Horst

1.0 Isim (Bornean)
Born at Auckland Zoo 15/06/1994
Sent to Los Angeles Zoo 12/11/2015
Sire: Horst

Dara gave birth to two infants at Auckland Zoo:

1.0 Datuk (Bornean)
Born at Auckland Zoo 18/05/1989
Sent to Taronga Zoo 13/12/1996
Sire: Horst

0.1 Darli (Bornean)
Born at Auckland Zoo 22/06/2000
Died at Auckland Zoo 24/06/2000
Sire: Charlie

——————————————————

2000’s to Present

0.3 were imported in 2001:

0.1 Wanita (Hybrid)
Born at Taronga Zoo 23/03/1979
Arrived at Auckland Zoo 06/03/2001
Died at Auckland Zoo 07/03/2022

0.1 Melur (Bornean)
Born at Hong Kong Zoo 11/06/1988
Arrived at Auckland Zoo 07/03/2001 (via Taronga Zoo)
Still at Auckland Zoo

0.1 Gangsa (Bornean)
Born at Hong Kong Zoo 31/12/1989
Arrived at Auckland Zoo 07/03/2001
Sent to Los Angeles Zoo 12/11/2015

Melur has given birth to three infants at Auckland Zoo:

0.1 Unnamed (Bornean)
Born at Auckland Zoo 08/08/2002
Died at Auckland Zoo 08/08/2002
Sire: Unknown

1.0 Madju (Bornean)
Born at Auckland Zoo 09/11/2005
Sent to Busch Gardens 12/11/2015
Sire: Charlie

1.0 Bahmi (Bornean)
Born at Auckland Zoo 20/03/2022
Still at Auckland Zoo
Sire: Charlie

——————————————————
 
Jambo said:
I have a list for Melbourne if your interested? It's not fully complete as I was planning to do a similar thread but at least it'll help as a start for you.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the offer, but Melbourne has only held 15 orangutans according to the studbook, so it won’t take long for me to type it up. :)

Taronga will be the mission so if you or anyone else has the wild imports written down somewhere (I already have all Taronga bred orangutans from 1957-1987), feel free to PM them to me (I want to keep this thread as concise as possible); but no worries if not as I can easily pull this up myself.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Thank you for the offer, but Melbourne has only held 15 orangutans according to the studbook, so it won’t take long for me to type it up. :)

Taronga will be the mission so if you or anyone else has the wild imports written down somewhere (I already have all Taronga bred orangutans from 1957-1987), feel free to PM them to me (I want to keep this thread as concise as possible); but no worries if not as I can easily pull this up myself.
Click to expand...

Cheers, just thought i'd help anyway I can as I do have a lot of records on the regions orangutans (and other great apes), although I haven't sorted it in any way.

I'll see what I have re. Taronga. I think I did do some sort of family tree a while back, so should have info on the wildborn parents of the Taronga bred offspring.
 
Additional Notes on Auckland Zoo’s Orangutans

1920’s:

The orangutans held at the zoo in the 1920’s were unnamed. This wasn’t an uncommon practice for Auckland Zoo during this era with only a handful of species being given names - elephants, hippopotamus etc.

1980’s-2000’s:

The four Bornean orangutans imported in 1983-1984 were initially held in a group of four. The males were seperated in the late 1980’s, as Horst entered adolescence and became aggressive to Charlie. From this point on, the males rotated access to the female and offspring group on a fortnightly basis.

Dara and Horst were half siblings via a shared father. Horst sired the first three infants (two to Indra; one to Dara); but the keepers took care to ensure Dara’s second infant was sired by Charlie to avoid further inbreeding. Unfortunately this infant died at two days of age, with Dara passing away the next day from Septicaemia.

2000’s-2010’s:

The three females from Sydney in 2001 were a welcome addition to the colony. They gave Indra a welcome reprieve from the attentions of the males and seven year old Isim enjoyed the company of the young females, Melur and Gangsa.

By 2005, the zoo had two adult males, five adult females, an adolescent male and an infant on the way. The transfer of the chimpanzees to Hamilton Zoo gave them a chance to split the colony with Horst, Indra and Intan moving across to their exhibit; and Charlie and Isim rotating use of the main exhibit.

In the mid 2000’s, Auckland Zoo decided to phase out Bornean orangutan to focus on Sumatrans (which are critically endangered). This led to the export of 1.2 in 2009 (Horst, Indra and Intan).

Following the birth of Madju in 2005, Charlie was housed with Melur and Gangsa; and Isim was housed with Wanita. Fighting between the females resulted in the permanent groupings of Charlie, Wanita, Melur and Madju; and Isim and Gangsa being established. The latter took up residency in the second exhibit and were exported to the US in 2015, along with Madju. This reduced the colony to 1.2: Charlie, Wanita and Melur.

2010’s to Present:

The orangutans were loaned to Orana Wildlife Park in 2017, while a new exhibit was built for them. Since returning, the decision to phase out Borneans has been reversed (as they’re now critically endangered). Wanita passed away in March 2022; and Charlie and Melur produced a male infant the same month named Bahmi.
 
Adelaide Zoo - Complete History

——————————————————

1940’s to 1950’s:

1.0 was imported in 1949:

1.0 Mias (Sumatran)
Born in the wild (Sumatra) 00/00/1937
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 15/01/1940
Died at Adelaide Zoo 22/02/1954

1.1 were imported in 1950:

1.0 George II (Bornean)
Born in the wild (Borneo) 00/00/1949
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 08/02/1950 (via Taronga Zoo)
Died at Adelaide Zoo 20/08/1976

0.1 Martha II (Bornean)
Born in the wild (Borneo) 00/00/1949
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 08/02/1950 (via Taronga Zoo)
Died at Adelaide 01/10/1950

——————————————————

1970’s to 1980’s:

1.1 were imported in 1977:

1.0 Barut (Hybrid)
Born at Artis Zoo 04/11/1974
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 31/05/1977 (via Rotterdam Zoo)
Died at Adelaide Zoo 19/08/1978

0.1 Chantek (Sumatran)
Born at Rotterdam Zoo 23/12/1974
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 31/05/1977
Died at Adelaide Zoo 07/04/1987

0.1 was received in 1978:

0.1 Puspa (Sumatran)
Born at Perth Zoo 30/01/1975
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 21/12/1978
Sent to Perth Zoo 02/12/1981
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 13/01/2011
Still at Adelaide Zoo

2.0 were imported in 1979:

1.0 Caesar (Bornean)
Born at Artis Zoo 25/03/1972
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 24/03/1979
Sent to Zoo Negara 14/05/1986

1.0 Bulu (Hybrid)
Born at Rotterdam Zoo 20/06/1977
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 16/06/1979
Sent to the National Zoo Sri Lanka 21/07/1983

0.1 was imported in 1981:

0.1 Nora (Bornean)
Born in the wild (Borneo) 00/00/1973
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 28/09/1981 (via Jakarta Zoo)
Sent to Zoo Negara 13/05/1986

1.0 was received in 1982:

1.0 Puntjak (Sumatran)
Born at Perth Zoo 24/03/1972
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 03/08/1982
Died at Adelaide Zoo 01/12/1999

0.2 were imported in 1988:

0.1 Kiki (Sumatran)
Born in the wild (Sumatra) 00/00/1959
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 20/01/1988 (via Stuggart Zoo)
Died at Adelaide Zoo 04/10/1990

0.1 Susi (Sumatran)
Born at Munich Zoo 18/02/1969
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 01/08/1988
Died at Adelaide Zoo 26/09/1990

Nora gave birth to one infant at Adelaide Zoo:

1.0 Unnamed (Bornean)
Born at Adelaide Zoo 16/04/1982
Died at Adelaide Zoo 16/04/1982
Sire: Caesar

Chantek gave birth to two infants at Adelaide Zoo:

1.0 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Stillborn at Adelaide Zoo 01/02/1984
Sire: Puntjak

0.1 Indah (Sumatran)
Born at Adelaide Zoo 23/07/1986
Sent to San Diego Zoo 21/10/1992
Sire: Puntjak

——————————————————

1990’s to Present:

0.1 was imported in 1992:

0.1 Karta (Sumatran)
Born at San Diego Zoo 22/07/1982
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 20/11/1992
Sent to Perth Zoo 11/11/1997
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 24/06/1998
Died at Adelaide Zoo 26/01/2017

1.0 was imported in 2000:

1.0 Pusung (Sumatran)
Born at Perth Zoo 25/02/1978
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 11/10/2000 (via Singapore Zoo)
Died at Adelaide Zoo 15/04/2009

1.0 was received in 2007:

1.0 Kluet (Sumatran)
Born at Jersey Zoo 18/07/1995
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 08/05/2007 (via Taronga Zoo)
Still at Adelaide Zoo

Karta gave birth to seven infants at Adelaide Zoo:

1.0 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Born at Adelaide Zoo 03/08/1995
Died at Adelaide Zoo 07/08/1995
Sire: Puntjak

0.1 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Born at Adelaide Zoo 27/04/1997
Died at Adelaide Zoo 27/04/1997
Sire: Puntjak

0.1 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Born at Adelaide Zoo 04/05/2003
Died at Adelaide Zoo 05/05/2003
Sire: Pusung

0.1 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Born at Adelaide Zoo 11/05/2011
Died at Adelaide Zoo 14/05/2011
Sire: Kluet

0.1 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Stillborn at Adelaide Zoo 08/01/2013
Sire: Kluet

0.1 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Stillborn at Adelaide Zoo 27/11/2014
Sire: Kluet

1.0 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Stillborn at Adelaide Zoo 26/01/2027
Sire: Kluet

——————————————————
 
Zoofan15 said:
Adelaide Zoo - Complete History

——————————————————

1940’s to 1950’s:

1.0 was imported in 1949:

1.0 Mias (Sumatran)
Born in the wild (Sumatra) 00/00/1937
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 15/01/1940
Died at Adelaide Zoo 22/02/1954

1.1 were imported in 1950:

1.0 George II (Bornean)
Born in the wild (Borneo) 00/00/1949
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 08/02/1950 (via Taronga Zoo)
Died at Adelaide Zoo 20/08/1976

0.1 Martha II (Bornean)
Born in the wild (Borneo) 00/00/1949
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 08/02/1950 (via Taronga Zoo)
Died at Adelaide 01/10/1950

——————————————————

1970’s to 1980’s:

1.1 were imported in 1977:

1.0 Barut (Hybrid)
Born at Artis Zoo 04/11/1974
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 31/05/1977 (via Rotterdam Zoo)
Died at Adelaide Zoo 19/08/1978

0.1 Chantek (Sumatran)
Born at Rotterdam Zoo 23/12/1974
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 31/05/1977
Died at Adelaide Zoo 07/04/1987

0.1 was received in 1978:

0.1 Puspa (Sumatran)
Born at Perth Zoo 30/01/1975
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 21/12/1978
Sent to Perth Zoo 02/12/1981
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 13/01/2011
Still at Adelaide Zoo

2.0 were imported in 1979:

1.0 Caesar (Bornean)
Born at Artis Zoo 25/03/1972
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 24/03/1979
Sent to Zoo Negara 14/05/1986

1.0 Bulu (Hybrid)
Born at Rotterdam Zoo 20/06/1977
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 16/06/1979
Sent to the National Zoo Sri Lanka 21/07/1983

0.1 was imported in 1981:

0.1 Nora (Bornean)
Born in the wild (Borneo) 00/00/1973
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 28/09/1981 (via Jakarta Zoo)
Sent to Zoo Negara 13/05/1986

1.0 was received in 1982:

1.0 Puntjak (Sumatran)
Born at Perth Zoo 24/03/1972
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 03/08/1982
Died at Adelaide Zoo 01/12/1999

0.2 were imported in 1988:

0.1 Kiki (Sumatran)
Born in the wild (Sumatra) 00/00/1959
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 20/01/1988 (via Stuggart Zoo)
Died at Adelaide Zoo 04/10/1990

0.1 Susi (Sumatran)
Born at Munich Zoo 18/02/1969
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 01/08/1988
Died at Adelaide Zoo 26/09/1990

Nora gave birth to one infant at Adelaide Zoo:

1.0 Unnamed (Bornean)
Born at Adelaide Zoo 16/04/1982
Died at Adelaide Zoo 16/04/1982
Sire: Caesar

Chantek gave birth to two infants at Adelaide Zoo:

1.0 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Stillborn at Adelaide Zoo 01/02/1984
Sire: Puntjak

0.1 Indah (Sumatran)
Born at Adelaide Zoo 23/07/1986
Sent to San Diego Zoo 21/10/1992
Sire: Puntjak

——————————————————

1990’s to Present:

0.1 was imported in 1992:

0.1 Karta (Sumatran)
Born at San Diego Zoo 22/07/1982
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 20/11/1992
Sent to Perth Zoo 11/11/1997
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 24/06/1998
Died at Adelaide Zoo 26/01/2017

1.0 was imported in 2000:

1.0 Pusung (Sumatran)
Born at Perth Zoo 25/02/1978
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 11/10/2000 (via Singapore Zoo)
Died at Adelaide Zoo 15/04/2009

1.0 was received in 2007:

1.0 Kluet (Sumatran)
Born at Jersey Zoo 18/07/1995
Arrived at Adelaide Zoo 08/05/2007 (via Taronga Zoo)
Still at Adelaide Zoo

Karta gave birth to seven infants at Adelaide Zoo:

1.0 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Born at Adelaide Zoo 03/08/1995
Died at Adelaide Zoo 07/08/1995
Sire: Puntjak

0.1 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Born at Adelaide Zoo 27/04/1997
Died at Adelaide Zoo 27/04/1997
Sire: Puntjak

0.1 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Born at Adelaide Zoo 04/05/2003
Died at Adelaide Zoo 05/05/2003
Sire: Pusung

0.1 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Born at Adelaide Zoo 11/05/2011
Died at Adelaide Zoo 14/05/2011
Sire: Kluet

0.1 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Stillborn at Adelaide Zoo 08/01/2013
Sire: Kluet

0.1 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Stillborn at Adelaide Zoo 27/11/2014
Sire: Kluet

1.0 Unnamed (Sumatran)
Stillborn at Adelaide Zoo 26/01/2027
Sire: Kluet

——————————————————
Click to expand...
Do you know if there was an underlying reason why Karta failed with all her infants like this? I remember hearing about her continually losing infants but never knew why.
 
Yes, it was because she had anatomically small nipples that meant that even though the infants appeared to nurse, they weren't properly fed. Her last infants were stillborn, but a cooperative feeding regime was ready to be put in place. Karta's sister in Denver, Nias, had the same problem.

I believe Karta's 2011 infant was given the name 'Sayang' by keepers.
 
Last edited:
Pertinax said:
Do you know if there was an underlying reason why Karta failed with all her infants like this? I remember hearing about her continually losing infants but never knew why.
Click to expand...

Yes, she had an anatomical issue with her nipples, which meant she was unable to feed her infants. This was only discovered following the birth of her fifth infant in 2011, which was discovered in the post mortem to have no milk in its stomach.

Her last three infants were sadly stillborn. Her cause of death was placental detachment issues.
 
ApeLadyNZ said:
So, this would be the Indah who went on to be the mother of Aisha and Kaja? I have been enjoying this family's antics, along with their siamang companions Eloise and Sela, on San Diego's Ape Cam lately!
Click to expand...
Jambo said:
Yes that is Indah!
Click to expand...

It was a straight swap with Indah sent to San Diego Zoo in October 1992 and Karta arriving the following month from the same zoo.

Unfortunately Indah remains the only orangutan born at Adelaide Zoo to survive to adulthood. Non-surviving infants were born 1982 and 1984; as well as Karta’s seven non-surviving offspring that were born between 1995 and 2017. Hopefully they have better luck with Kluet and a new female.
 
Melbourne Zoo Orangutan History:

1.1 were imported from Sumatra in the 1940’s.

0.1 Noni (Sumatran)
Born in Sumatra 00/00/1932
Arrived 23/01/1941 from Sumatra
Died at Melbourne 01/09/1957

1.0 Tang (Sumatran)
Born in Sumatra 00/00/1938
Arrived 10/01/1942 from Sumatra
Died at Melbourne 01/08/1950

In the 1950’s and early 1960’s a further pair was imported from Sumatra, alongside a male from Borneo, and a female from Borneo (via Sydney).

1.0 Tony (Sumatran)
Born in Sumatra 00/00/1952
Arrived 28/01/1956 from Sumatra
Died at Melbourne 11/09/1958

0.1 Olga (Sumatran)
Born in Sumatra 00/00/1953
Arrived 28/01/1956 from Sumatra
Died at Melbourne 06/04/1979

1.0 Pongo (Bornean)
Born in Borneo 00/00/1957
Arrived 25/07/1959 from Borneo
Died at Melbourne 22/07/1981

0.1 Girlie (Bornean)
Born in Borneo 00/00/1960
Arrived 09/11/1961 from Borneo (via Sydney)
Died at Melbourne 28/04/1991

In 1976, a hybrid male was acquired from Perth, presumably to be paired with Olga (the Sumatran). This gave Melbourne two pairs - one Bornean, the other a hybrid plus a Sumatran.

1.0 Bobby (Hybrid)
Born in Sydney 07/09/1964
Arrived 16/03/1976 from Perth
Transferred to Perth 08/08/1980

Bobby and Olga produced the following twins;

1.0 Kembar/Bono (Hybrid)
Born at Melbourne 24/06/1978
Transferred to Hyderabad 01/04/1993

0.1 Kiani/Suma (Hybrid)
Born at Melbourne 24/06/1978
Died at Melbourne 03/01/2024

In 1987, a purebred Sumatran male was acquired from Canada.

1.0 Santan (Sumatran)
Born at Toronto 12/10/1977
Arrived 09/04/1987 from Toronto
Transferred to Sydney 00/08/2019

Santan was paired up with Kiani, and the pair accidentally had the following daughter.

0.1 Gabby (Hybrid)
Born at Melbourne 01/01/1990
Still at Melbourne

In 1992 a Sumatran female was imported from Switzerland, alongside a male from Jersey.

1.0 Mokko Mokko (Sumatran)
Born at Jersey 27/10/1982
Arrived 11/07/1992 from Jersey
Transferred to Jersey 14/10/1992

0.1 Maimunah (Sumatran)
Born at Zurich 23/05/1986
Arrived 02/07/1992 from Zurich
Transferred to Sydney 00/08/2019

Santan and Maimunah later had the following offspring:

1.0 Malu (Sumatran)
Born at Melbourne 29/07/2003
Still at Melbourne

0.1 Dewi (Sumatran)
Born at Melbourne 06/12/2010
Transferred to Sydney 00/08/2019


In total, Melbourne have held 15 Orangutans - with just two remaining today (Gabby and Malu).
 
Jambo said:
Melbourne Zoo Orangutan History:

1.1 were imported from Sumatra in the 1940’s.

0.1 Noni (Sumatran)
Born in Sumatra 00/00/1932
Arrived 23/01/1941 from Sumatra
Died at Melbourne 01/09/1957

1.0 Tang (Sumatran)
Born in Sumatra 00/00/1938
Arrived 10/01/1942 from Sumatra
Died at Melbourne 01/08/1950

In the 1950’s and early 1960’s a further pair was imported from Sumatra, alongside a male from Borneo, and a female from Borneo (via Sydney).

1.0 Tony (Sumatran)
Born in Sumatra 00/00/1952
Arrived 28/01/1956 from Sumatra
Died at Melbourne 11/09/1958

0.1 Olga (Sumatran)
Born in Sumatra 00/00/1953
Arrived 28/01/1956 from Sumatra
Died at Melbourne 06/04/1979

1.0 Pongo (Bornean)
Born in Borneo 00/00/1957
Arrived 25/07/1959 from Borneo
Died at Melbourne 22/07/1981

0.1 Girlie (Bornean)
Born in Borneo 00/00/1960
Arrived 09/11/1961 from Borneo (via Sydney)
Died at Melbourne 28/04/1991

In 1976, a hybrid male was acquired from Perth, presumably to be paired with Olga (the Sumatran). This gave Melbourne two pairs - one Bornean, the other a hybrid plus a Sumatran.

1.0 Bobby (Hybrid)
Born in Sydney 07/09/1964
Arrived 16/03/1976 from Perth
Transferred to Perth 08/08/1980

Bobby and Olga produced the following twins;

1.0 Kembar/Bono (Hybrid)
Born at Melbourne 24/06/1978
Transferred to Hyderabad 01/04/1993

0.1 Kiani/Suma (Hybrid)
Born at Melbourne 24/06/1978
Died at Melbourne 03/01/2024

In 1987, a purebred Sumatran male was acquired from Canada.

1.0 Santan (Sumatran)
Born at Toronto 12/10/1977
Arrived 09/04/1987 from Toronto
Transferred to Sydney 00/08/2019

Santan was paired up with Kiani, and the pair accidentally had the following daughter.

0.1 Gabby (Hybrid)
Born at Melbourne 01/01/1990
Still at Melbourne

In 1992 a Sumatran female was imported from Switzerland, alongside a male from Jersey.

1.0 Mokko Mokko (Sumatran)
Born at Jersey 27/10/1982
Arrived 11/07/1992 from Jersey
Transferred to Jersey 14/10/1992

0.1 Maimunah (Sumatran)
Born at Zurich 23/05/1986
Arrived 02/07/1992 from Zurich
Transferred to Sydney 00/08/2019

Santan and Maimunah later had the following offspring:

1.0 Malu (Sumatran)
Born at Melbourne 29/07/2003
Still at Melbourne

0.1 Dewi (Sumatran)
Born at Melbourne 06/12/2010
Transferred to Sydney 00/08/2019


In total, Melbourne have held 15 Orangutans - with just two remaining today (Gabby and Malu).
Click to expand...
An interesting thing to note was the arrival of a Sumatran male from Jersey in 1992. Considering he was imported around the same time as Maimunah, I presume the pair were actually intended as mates for one another, although I'm not entirely sure as to why he was sent back so soon after his arrival.

Perhaps he didn't get along well with the other Orangutans - Melbourne only had one Orangutan grotto at that point, so if he didn't get along with either of the other adult males (Santan and Kembar), there would have been limited space to accommodate him otherwise. And Melbourne essentially already had a purebred Sumatran (in Santan), who was also unrelated to Maimunah.
 
Jambo said:
An interesting thing to note was the arrival of a Sumatran male from Jersey in 1992. Considering he was imported around the same time as Maimunah, I presume the pair were actually intended as mates for one another, although I'm not entirely sure as to why he was sent back so soon after his arrival.

Perhaps he didn't get along well with the other Orangutans - Melbourne only had one Orangutan grotto at that point, so if he didn't get along with either of the other adult males (Santan and Kembar), there would have been limited space to accommodate him otherwise. And Melbourne essentially already had a purebred Sumatran (in Santan), who was also unrelated to Maimunah.
Click to expand...

I think I can tell you possibly why Mokko Mokko was returned so quicky to Jersey from Melbourne. I think it would have been because they had discovered he had either damaged or non-existent testicles from damage caused by xray when he was still in the womb. I think it was him anyway. Maybe it was only discovered when he got to Melbourne? I think he was later sent to a zoo in Belgium (Monde Sauvage) as a non-breeder. He might even still be there.
 
Pertinax said:
I think I can tell you possibly why Mokko Mokko was returned so quicky to Jersey from Melbourne. I think it would have been because they had discovered he had either damaged or non-existent testicles from damage caused by xray when he was still in the womb. I think it was him anyway. Maybe it was only discovered when he got to Melbourne? I think he was later sent to a zoo in Belgium (Monde Sauvage) as a non-breeder. He might even still be there.
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Thanks for that - it makes sense as to why he was sent back so quickly. I've double checked via searching up previous posts on here, and yes it was Mokko. He was still alive in Belgium as of a few years back.

It's likely it was discovered quite soon after his arrival - a veterinary check before the animal completes quarantine is common practice (and was back then too).
 
Jambo said:
It's likely it was discovered quite soon after his arrival - a veterinary check before the animal completes quarantine is common practice (and was back then too).
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I presume Jersey were unaware, they would never have sent him if they had, I'm quite sure.
 
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