The Singapore Zoo on Friday (Feb 26) has named Ishta as its “new” Ah Meng - taking over the ambassadorial mantle and the name of her iconic grandmother, who died eight years ago.
Ah Meng, like her grandmother, is a Sumatran orang utan - one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world, with about 6,600 left in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
It was previously revealed that either Chomel, 19, or Ishta, who turns five this year, will take on the iconic orang utan's name.
The unveiling took place a day before the Safari Zoo Run, which from this year onwards will shift from commemorating the original Ah Meng to celebrating the zoo's new ambassador.
The zoo said Ishta has not only inherited her grandmother's looks, but also her gentle nature. She is caring and affectionate with her fellow orang utans and people alike.
Unlike her grandmother, visitors to the zoo will no longer be allowed be up close to the new Ah Meng or even touch her. However, visitors can see her four times a week at the zoo's "Jungle Breakfast with Wildlife", playing with other apes in a small forest habitat next to the Ah Meng restaurant.
She can also be spotted swinging about or chilling in the free-ranging orang utan habitat and at some photography sessions.
The zoo says this change is for the benefit of the animals, to show them in a more natural setting.
"People now are really more educated, and this gives us the opportunity to talk more about these critically endangered great apes," said Mr Kumaran Sesshe, head keeper for great apes at the zoo. "You know, so, by them coming down for breakfast, we can actually tell visitors the plight these orang utans are facing in the wild, and also why we stopped human and primate contact.
"I think it's good for the animal as well; people are understanding now. I don't see a drop in people loving these animals. More people are actually loving these animals and coming for the programmes."
Ah Meng, born in 1960 and illegally kept as a pet in Singapore after being smuggled in from Sumatra, was discovered by a vet and first brought to the zoo in 1971. She became hugely popular with visitors, and was named the Special Tourism Ambassador in 1992 - the first and only non-human recipient of the award.
She died in Feb 2008, survived by five children and her partner, Charlie.
Since the former Ah Meng's passing in 2008, the zoo said they wanted to take time to respect her memory, but were also waiting to find another orang utan with the perfect temperament for the job.
However, as the new Ah Meng is only four and will turn five on Mar 8, they are waiting to see whether she will adopt her namesake's strong maternal instincts.
Wildlife Reserves Singapore said Ah Meng plays an important role as an ambassador not just for the zoo, but for conservation.
"By having an icon, we can actually link our messaging," said Mr Mike Barclay, CEO of Wildlife Reserves Singapore. "We actually do a lot of conservation messaging. We can link it to a personality, and that's the key. I think it humanises, or brings into three dimensions, the work that we do, rather than it being a rather static thing."
Besides introducing the new Ah Meng, the zoo also launched illustrated icons of the orang utan. These will be used in the conservation efforts of Wildlife Reserves Singapore, as well as during the Safari Zoo Run this weekend, happening from Feb 27 to 28, as standees placed along the race track with information on Ah Meng.
