Sumatran Orangutans, April 2013

Anette (born 1983) and her son, Jantho (born 1 April 2013).

Good to see ANETTE and her son. JANTHO is her !!!10th!!! baby, only two are still alive (SUMA - 20 - at Dortmund, TUAN - 15 - at Hamburg)

10

I've looked her up and see she's had a traumatic life, including still births and neonatal deaths. Two sets of twins (that must be very unusual) with Tuan the only survivor.

And there were three deaths in Duisberg in 2011 - Siam, the father of her children there, and her daughters, Jambi and Masaja.

Let's hope that Jantho has a brighter future than his half-siblings.

'Siam' was very old when he died,(without looking at the SB), nearing 50 I think. He had for some time the Orangutan equivalent of Parkinson's! I think he started breeding late in life with both Annette and Dana(?) but nor sure if he has surviving offspring. (I shall look...)

He started breeding in 1970, early in life. He bred with MAHDO (S), SUSI (B), DUNJA (S), DANA (S) and ANETTE (S).

Does he have any surviving purebred offspring?

By the way, the platform she's sitting on is actually weighing scales. There's a digital readout on the wall of the viewing area. They have the same thing in the gorilla house. Another good idea!

@Pertinax
SUMA and TUAN...

Bristol Zoo had scales in their old Gorilla House which was purpose built for 'Congo' and 'Josephine' in the 1950's. The platform was inside (obviously!) the outdoor cage and the dial (like an old fashioned weighing machine) was outside. Mind you, I never saw the Gorillas use it voluntarily but I think they could be coaxed onto it with food. The female 'Josephine' was so obese its probably better she didn't...

Perhaps why this wasn't incoporated in either of the more recent Gorilla houses at Bristol.

thanks BjoernN.