New baby orangutan calls Gulf Breeze Zoo home

Satu and his mom, Sara, bonding (Photo courtesy of Gulf Breeze Zoo).

The Gulf Breeze Zoo in Florida has welcomed a male orangutan, named Satu, means “fairy tale,” born on January 20, 2022 to mom, Sara, and dad, Louie.

According to an organizational release,¹ Satu is the second orangutan birth at the zoo in under 6 months. With the care of his mother, he is doing well and the pair can be often spotted from the boardwalk overlooking the orangutan island.

The other recent orangutan birth was that of Isadora, a female, born on September 11, 2021. She had to be raised by animal care specialists at the park due to maternal issues with her mother. Isadora, nicknamed "Izzy" by her caretakers, is healthy and reaching each milestone for an almost 8-month-old orangutan.

"[Izzy] is very curious about everything and everyone, especially the newest member of the orangutan congress, Satu," said Jamie McMaster, Gulf Breeze Zoo director, in the release.¹ "She's eating solids daily. She munches on the adults' primate biscuits and loves cucumber, carrot, sweet potato and banana."

Gulf Breeze Zoo animal care specialists have been reintroducing Izzy to the other orangutans. She gets supervised time with them several times a week. It is very vital she is aware that she is an orangutan.¹

"The births of Satu and Isadora in such a short time here is a really big deal for our zoo, and species conservation as a whole," said McMaster, in the release.¹

"These great apes are critically endangered and risk extinction in the wild, so we are trying to ensure future generations survive."

The zoo is currently home to 8 orangutans. These animals can live into their late 50s in both the wild and captivity.

Reference

Gulf Breeze Zoo welcomes baby orangutan, Satu. News release. Gulf Breeze Zoo. May 3, 2022. Accessed May 4, 2022. https://www.gbzoo.com/conservation/news/Gulf-Breeze-Zoo-Welcomes-Its-Newest-Orangutan-Satu