Ode to an Orangutan

This post is a day late - mainly because I was hunting for the accompanying photos (you're not the only one, Jeff).  When I worked in Georgia, I worked mainly with bonobos, but I also worked with one orangutan named Mari.  Yesterday was Mari's birthday which is why I said this was a day late.  I wanted to pay tribute to her on her special day.  Mari is a very special girl because she has no arms.  When Mari was a baby, a male orang came into the enclosure while Mari's mom was holding her.  Mari's mom got very agitated and started to bite Mari's arms.  Not sure why, but by the time the vets got a hold of Mari, her arms were so mangled they had to amputate them. When you picture orangutans perhaps you envision them swinging through the trees.  This is something Mari is not able to do, but don't feel too sorry for her.  She certainly doesn't and is able to get along just fine.  She uses her feet like hands to eat and manipulate things, when climbing she uses her chin to pull herself up, and walks bipedally to get around..  I helped take care of Mari and brought her food and occasionally took her for a ride in the transport box.  Mari would lie back and view 'her kingdom' and give directions as to where she wanted to go.

Mari is now at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida.  I believe the picture below was when we were getting Mari ready for her trip to Florida.  Both Holly and I were trying to get Mari to look at the camera which is why we were both laughing.

The Center for Great Apes takes in orangutans and chimpanzees who have been used in the entertainment business but are getting too mature to use safely or raised by humans and who otherwise would not be suitable for living in a zoo.  Mari was used at the LRC for strictly noninvasive research and could work mazes using a joy stick and did some work with numbers and memory.  There was one other orangutan there, but she and Mari did not get along and Madu ended up at the Atlanta Zoo.  Because of her handicap, no zoo wanted Mari which is how she finally ended up in Florida.  As an orang who lived with bonobos she stood up for herself pretty well.  Occasionally she would get teased by them or bullied, but a swift karate kick with a foot put them in their place. Now Mari has 13 other orangs to keep her company and lives in a group that includes a couple of young females who Mari adopted when they first arrived.

Right now the Center for Great Apes is vying for a $50,000 donation from Pepsi.  They currently have over 40 chimpanzees and orangutans and need to build a new home for a couple of their male orangutans. You can help them out and not spend a dime simply by voting for them here.  There is an explanation on the site about how the money will be spent.  You can vote every day until October 30th so time is quickly running out.

Orangutans are endangered species and are only found in Borneo and Sumatra.  Like so many other endangered animals loss of habitat due to human encroachment and logging is the main cause.  I can't imagine a world without these wonderful primates, especially having known one personally!

So please vote and a Happy Birthday to my girl Mari!  How could you not love a face like this!??

Source: Center for Great Apes