FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – The Fort Wayne Zoo recently welcomed the birth of a Sumatran orangutan.
Wednesday’s announcement comes as the female orangutan, named Raya, turns one month old. She was born on Jan. 11 to 30-year-old mother Tara and 39-year-old father Tengku.
Her name derives from the Indonesian word for “grand” and is popularly associated with the idea of festive celebrations, the zoo explained in a press release, adding Raya’s birth is cause for celebration when it comes to the conservation of her critically endangered species.
Orangutans are part of the American Zoological Association (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), which helps to ensure genetic diversity and the survival of critically endangered species. Angie Selzer, senior animal care specialist at the Fort Wayne Zoo, serves as the Orangutan SSP Coordinator for all of North America and is in regular collaboration with AZA professionals across the world in this initiative…