INTERNATIONAL: There are few things cuter in this world than a baby orangutan. Visitors and conservationists alike in southern Spain have been thrilled by this month’s birth of a rare Bornean orangutan, which is listed as a critically endangered species.
She’s just 11 days old and is being hailed as a “small jewel for conservation” by the Bioparc Fuengirola. She was born on the 4th of August to her parents, Suli and Peek. It’s Suli’s 2nd successful birth at the zoo, and the first of an orangutan in Europe in over a year.
The population of Bornean orangutans has declined by more than 50% over the past 60 years. Deforestation on the island of Borneo has destroyed much of their natural habitat, which is why breeding programs like this one are critical to the survival of the species. Yet to be named, the little baby is a very welcome site for conservationists, not to mention, as cute as a button.
