Birth of an orangutan baby in the Jardin des Plantes

The orangutan family of the menagerie of the Jardin des Plantes in Paris has just grown with the birth of Java, a female born eight days ago. The last birth of an orangutan at the menagerie dates back to 2005, said Wednesday the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN).

Species at risk

Java is an orangutan from Borneo, a species at risk. Her mother is Theodora, a "calm and calm" female, aged 30, according to the Museum. Born in Jersey, she arrived in 2007 at the menagerie, accompanied by her daughter Tamu, born in 2004 in England. Banggi, the father of Java, is a young male born in 2006 in Spain.

The "love story" started with the arrival of the male to the menagerie in 2016. "The attraction of Banggi to Theodora was immediate," according to the Museum. It is a "fusional couple".

But Banggi is currently separated from Theodora "because in the wild males do not raise their offspring," says the Museum.

A sponsorship campaign

Java is the fifth Urangutan to join the group, the oldest being the famous Nénette, who is close to fifty. Born around 1969 in the forests of Borneo, victim of poaching, Nénette arrived at the menagerie Parisienne in 1972.

Orangutans are on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as Critically Endangered.

In 20 years, the populations of orang-utans have lost 80% of their territory and have reduced by half. It would remain between 50,000 and 60,000 orangutans in Borneo.

The Museum has for several years planned to renovate and enlarge the Orangutan pen of the menagerie, for a total cost of 3 million euros. He wants to build a large outdoor "aviary" for these great apes.

A sponsorship campaign to help finance the project was launched on October 11 on the Ulule platform (Ulule.com/parrainez-un-orang). To date, 15,700 euros have been collected.

The Museum is also organizing a gala dinner on "Endangered Biodiversity" on November 20, the benefits of which will abound. He is also launching a corporate donations campaign. The state also participates in the project.