Philadelphia Zoo Orangutans - Tua Does Not Want Batu to Grow Up

Batu will be one year old tomorrow (October 2nd). And Tua has been letting her have a little more freedom to explore her exhibit areas, both inside and outside for about two months.

But, as Batu's first birthday approaches, Tua seems to have become a little more protective again. Could it be that Tua is like human mothers, and she really doesn't want her baby to grow up (at least not so soon)?

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Philadelphia Zoo
• zoos
• wildlife
• animals
• orangutan
• orangutans
• primate
• primates
• Primate Reserve
• September
• 2010
• Wednesday
• humor

[chac391]

Those apes are so funny! I love the part where she put the water bowl over her head!

[ZooVisitorMM]

@chac391 The orangutans love to put things over their heads. I think it would be cute if the Zoo would put out a bunch of great big hats for them to play with.

[bookishfilly]

She is a good mother!

[ZooVisitorMM]

@bookishfilly Yes, she is!

[UrbaneGent]

In the wild, it would be another eight (EIGHT!) years until the mother will actually let go of her child and have another...so Batu has awhile to go.

[ZooVisitorMM]

@UrbaneGent I know in the wild young orangutans stay with their mothers for eight years. But the mothers don't hold them or carry them and the babies don't cling to their mothers for the entire eight years. It just seems that Batu was becoming more independent for a while, but then Tua became a little more protective in the past couple of weeks, which I think is sweet. Tua and Batu obviously have a strong bond.

[chac391]

yep