Keeping up with the orangutans

My name is Alexis,  and I’m a member of the Orangutan Care Team here at Zoo Atlanta. There have been so many unexpected joys and surprises that come with working with primates, each day challenging and rewarding in turn. In fact, I’ve found that there are an infinite number of things that make being an animal care professional incredibly rewarding, but personally, there is nothing that beats the relationships I’ve forged with each orangutan in our care.

Here at Zoo Atlanta, we care for two different species of orangutans (Bornean and Sumatran) with a total of 10 individuals. Yes, 10! Each of them with their own unique personalities, preferences, and needs.

Blaze, a 30-year-old female Sumatran orangutan, is my favorite example of this. She loves playing with anything twice her size — from a cardboard box for enrichment to Benny, the 47-year-old male Sumatran orangutan she shares her space with. Blaze also knows exactly what her care team needs before we even utter a word, fetching Benny when it’s time to come off habitat or moving hay to make our jobs easier.

However, unlocking these quirks takes a tremendous amount of trust and time. For primates, keeper interaction is incredibly important as a method of trust building and enrichment for the individuals in our care. For orangutans in particular, the importance cannot be overstated. 

At Zoo Atlanta, we observe what is called “protected contact” with our non-human primates. This means there is always a protective barrier between a keeper and an animal. As care team members, we do not touch the orangutans through the mesh barrier, upholding our safety protocols and keeping everyone safe. However, there are still many ways we interact without needing to approach the mesh. There are also unofficial interactions such as morning greetings, afternoon goodbyes, or moments in between tasks.

These examples, however, only encompass a small portion of our days. While we run around cleaning, feeding, providing medications if needed, and completing projects, the orangutans are still observing us. These individuals are incredibly curious and creative by nature, so it is unsurprising that we sometimes find them mirroring what we do – from 34-year-old Bornean female Miro blowing her nose with a paper towel to 42-year-old Sumatran female Madu cleaning her area with non-toxic bubbles.

The examples explored above do not even begin to cover a quarter of the wonderful, hilarious, and sweet interactions that occur between us and the orangutans each day. These interactions from orangutan to care team member, and care team member to orangutan, build a foundation of trust that is the cornerstone of improving the welfare of our animals.

Next time you’re visiting Zoo Atlanta, be sure to stop by one of our Orangutan Keeper Talks or orangutan feeding demonstrations. If you’re lucky, Blaze might even grace you with her signature walk, walking bipedally as she makes her way to lunch.

Alexis G.
Orangutan Care Team