Malaysia: Semenggoh Wildlife Centre welcomes a new baby orangutan

Goh Pei Pei New Straits Times 4 Apr 18;

KUCHING: A 16-year-old female orangutan which was last spotted on March 22 returned to the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre with a “little surprise.”

The orangutan named Sadamiah was seen at the feeding platform with a baby clinging onto her on Thursday (March 28).

Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) in a statement here said Sadamiah was last spotted at the feeding platform on March 22 at about 2.30pm.

“Five days later, she returned with a baby and brought joy to the centre. We are proud and glad to announce that we have a new resident.

“However, we couldn’t confirm its gender yet. Both mother and baby looks healthy,” SFC said in the statement.

It is believed that the baby orangutan was born on March 22 and is Sadamiah’s second child.

She gave birth to a female orangutan named Ruby five years ago.

SFC also said the newborn orangutan was spending most of the time with its mother.

With the new birth, Semenggoh has 30 orangutans, roaming freely within the centre and the surrounding 740- hectare forest reserve.

The 46-year-old female orangutan Seduku is currently the oldest orangutan there.

The centre together with its sister facility at Matang Wildlife Centre, offers a Orangutan Adoption Programme, where the public can adopt an orang utan.

They can adopt a specific orang utan for a year by contributing RM200 annually. For companies, it is RM10,000 a year.

Proceeds from the programme will be used to fund conservation activities and the rehabilitation of wildlife.