All I want is a Mummy: Abandoned at birth, the baby orangutan hoping to find family in UK
Six-week-old Rieke (pictured) was rejected by her mother at
birth and has since been cared for by humans who change her nappies and
feed her. Soon she will be introduced to adult orangutans at Monkey
World in Dorset in the hope that she can finally find a family. It
already houses a tribe of 18 orangutans - one of which could become
Rieke's new mother.
copy http://www.dailymail.co.uk/newsAll I want is a Mummy: Abandoned at birth, the baby orangutan hoping to find family in UK
- Six-week-old orangutan Rieke rejected by her 11-year-old mother at birth
- She has been cared for by humans who change her nappies and feed her
- Keepers at Monkey World rotate shifts so she doesn't get attached to one
- She will soon be introduced to adult orangutans so she can find a family
- Experts believe the highly intelligent animals could go extinct in 25 years
She can't sit up on her own and she certainly isn't swinging fearlessly through the trees just yet.
But right now the only thing Rieke the baby orangutan wants is a mum.
She was abandoned at birth six weeks ago when her 11-year-old mother rejected her.
Now,
like any young orphan, she is looking for a grown-up to adopt her. In
different circumstances, Rieke would be spending her formative months
clinging to her mother and learning the ways of an orangutan tribe.
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Abandoned: Six-week-old Rieke (pictured) was rejected by her 11-year-old mother at birth
New hope: She is now being transferred
to Monkey World in Dorset that houses a tribe of 18 orangutans - one of
which could become Rieke's new mother
Instead, she has spent all her short life being cared for by humans.
Like any baby, she needs her nappy changing, suckles from a bottle and makes squeaking noises when she wants attention.
She even has a snuggly blanket to comfort her. But it's no substitute for a mother's love.
Four keepers at Monkey World in Dorset take it in turns to look after her so she doesn't get attached to just one of them.
Soon, however, she will be introduced to adult orangutans in the hope that she can find a family – and someone to ape.
Rieke
was moved on Monday to the sanctuary from Berlin Zoo, where she was
born on January 12 weighing just 4lb. She slept for most of the 17-hour
journey, a feat few children could manage without whining: 'Are we
nearly there yet?'
Rehomed: Rieke was moved to Monkey World from Berlin Zoo where she was born on January 12 weighing just 4lb
Endangered: Orangutans are considered
the most intelligent of all ape species but some experts believe they
could go extinct within 25 years
The
zoo wanted her to grow up in as natural an environment as possible – and
Monkey World already cares for a tribe of 18 orangutans, one of which,
it is hoped, will become her stepmother.
Crucially,
there is also another orangutan orphan there to play with – Bulu Mata, a
five-month-old whose mother died after giving birth to him at a zoo in
Budapest.
Yesterday
the pair were said to be bonding perfectly. Having a big brother to
show her the ropes will be a huge advantage in Rieke's development.
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