Topeka Zoo Welcomes Orangutan, Kali
The Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center is excited to announce the arrival of Kalijon (Kali), a female, 14-year-old Bornean orangutan. She arrived on May 10 from the Kansas City Zoo. Kali joins an existing family group of orangutans, composed of dominant male Mawas (34), female Rudi (37), juvenile male Bumi (10), and female infant Udara, who turned one-year-old on May 7.
Kali’’s move to Topeka is based on the Species Survival Plan (SSP) recommendations, which aim to maintain genetic diversity and healthy populations of respective species, especially those that are threatened or endangered. As an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center is committed to participating in these important sustainability efforts.
“We are excited to have Kali join our group,” said Zookeeper Beckee Niemackl. “We already know that Kali is exceptionally bright. She’s a bit of a firecracker, and loves interacting with other orangutans and staff. We hope that seeing Kali and the other orangutans will encourage guests to become more active in what they can do to protect their natural habitat.”
Born in 2009, Kali had an eventful start to her life. Despite training, her birth mother, TK, was unable to provide adequate care, so Kali was reared by human caregivers for the first four months of her life. During this time, Kansas City Zoo’s animal care staff trained another female, Jill, to take over as surrogate mom for Kali. Both Jill and Kali adapted wonderfully, and Kali quickly became a favorite of Kansas City Zoo patrons and staff.
“Sometimes animals are moved to different zoos to support group dynamics or make space for animals at other facilities,” said CEO Brendan Wiley. “While there is no current breeding recommendation for Kali, both she and Bumi can learn important child-rearing behaviors from Rudi and Mawas. There’s always the chance that they will be an important part of establishing future generations.”
The Topeka Zoo is home to Bornean orangutans, which are endemic to the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Orangutans are the largest arboreal mammal, spending the majority of their lives in trees. All subspecies of orangutans are endangered, as they are threatened by deforestation. The Topeka Zoo supports orangutan populations in the wild by providing direct financial support to organizations like Orangutan Outreach, whose mission aims to provide aid to individual orangutans that have been affected by habitat loss. The Topeka Zoo also promotes conservation initiatives like the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil, which aids consumers in identifying household products that are cultivated sustainably, minimizing impact on wild orangutans.
