The four-week-old orangutan baby Rieke (born on 12 January 2015) traveled 1,300 kilometers to Dorset on Monday together with vet Dr André Schüle and her zoo keeper Christian Aust. The hand-raised Rieke is getting a new home at the Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre in England. The animal transport company MSO International Zoo Services is responsible for the transport.
A colleague from the Ape Rescue Centre has traveled from England to document Rieke's weight, size and behaviour patterns, to get to know the animal and to prepare for her arrival in Monkey World in the best possible way.
The five-month-old Sumatran orangutan Bulu Mata is also looking forward to welcoming Rieke in Monkey World together with the experienced keepers and vets there. He was born on 4 September 2014 in Budapest Zoo and has gone to live in Monkey World due to the death of his mother shortly after his birth. Rieke will get acquainted with Bulu Mata after recovering from the trip and this might even be on Monday evening.
There will still be time up until Sunday evening Berlin time to say goodbye to Rieke. She is fed publicly from 12 p.m. each day in the feeding kitchen of the Monkey House. The time may vary somewhat depending on the daily rhythm of the baby orangutan, since Rieke won't be woken up especially for her public appearance. The orangutan baby is weighed, gets her milk bottle and a new nappy.
The zoo keeper team have been nurturing Rieke using a bottle since her mother Djasinga (11 years old) hasn't been taking to the young animal. The orangutan girl has already put on more than 800 g since her birth and now weights 2,600 g. Rieke is by now strong enough to move to Monkey World in England.
'We're pleased that Rieke is not only getting a new home among her peers but is also getting a playmate of her own age. But of course we'll still miss her,' admits zoo keeper Christian Aust.
Press advisory: There can be no media-accompaniment due to safety reasons and to ensure unhindered transport. We shall keep you up to date with Rieke's arrival and familiarisation in Monkey World over the coming week.
