The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is home to a new baby orangutan, and you can help pick a name for him.
The baby was both on April 28 to mom, Kera Wak, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo announced in a press release on Tuesday (May 25). The infant and his mother have joined others — Tiram, Kayla and Merah — in their habitat in The RainForest where guests can find them.
The birth marks the first orangutan successfully born at the zoo since 2014, and the fifth since The RainForest opened in 1992, according to the release.
“We’re thrilled to announce the birth of our new male orangutan, who will serve as an important ambassador for the decreasing number of Bornean orangutans in the wild,” said Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Executive Director Dr. Chris Kuhar. “By helping to name the orangutan, we hope to inspire a closer connection and appreciation for orangutans and the critical threats the species face in the wild.”
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature considers Bornean orangutans critically endangered, with orangutan population numbers decreasing by more than half in the last 15 years. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo partners with Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Programme (KOCP), contributing more than $160,000 to the program in the last two decades, the release states.
The Cleveland Zoological Society offers an opportunity for the public to make a donation in favor of three name options for the baby orangutan.
Here are the names and what they mean:
- Zaki, meaning “pure”
- Rimba, meaning “jungle”
- Halim, meaning “gentle”
Cast your vote here.
Photo: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo