Six weeks after her birth, the little orangutan girl at Rostock Zoo now has a name: in an online vote, the participants decided on the name Khaleesi. For the mother, the eleven-year-old female orangutan Cantik, it is the first cub. The father is the group leader Sabas.
Since the opening of the Darwineum – the home of the great apes in Rostock Zoo – in 2012, the orangutans have given birth a total of seven times, the zoo further announced.
According to the information, Khaleesi means something like queen. “We are satisfied with the development so far, since the tension with first births is always very high,” said zoo director Antje Angeli. Khaleesi now weighs an estimated 1.5 to 2 kilograms and, according to the animal keepers, is quite strong. “Cantik is a thoroughbred mother who takes excellent care of her offspring and doesn’t let anyone too close to her offspring.”
According to the zoo, when the 2,000 or so zoo friends voted, there was a close race between the name suggestions Khaleesi and Ida, who only received one vote less.
Bornean orangutans have a russet coat, are native to Southeast Asia and have their habitat in the forests of the island of Borneo. The name orangutan comes from Indonesian and means forest person. Compared to their body size, orangutans’ arms are very long: With outstretched arms, they can reach a span of up to 2.50 meters. Male animals are up to 1.40 meters tall and weigh between 50 and 90 kilograms. The females are smaller at 1.15 meters and also lighter at 30 to 50 kilos.
