Orphaned orangutan (photo)
Nov16

Orphaned orangutan (photo)

Baby orangutan orphaned by the palm oil industry when its forest habitat was cleared for a plantation in Sumatra. More orangutan photos.

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A Chimpanzee Birthday Bash
Jul02

A Chimpanzee Birthday Bash

By Brandon Allen Koko the chimp celebrated her 40th birthday this month at the Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, England.  The zookeepers set out piñatas and wrapped treats, like tomatoes and yogurt, for the beloved chimpanzee.  These presents not only help Koko celebrate her birthday but also “keep her stimulated and encourage her to be inquisitive” according to Keeper Kathy Doherty.  Koko, the oldest chimp and resident of Whipsnade,...

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Activism: oil in Virunga National Park

Note: mongabay.com does not endorse the action below, but believes its readers may be interested in taking action or discussing the issue in comments. Male gorilla in Gabon. Photo by: Rhett A. Butler. The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is currently considering allowing oil companies SOCO and Dominion into Virunga National Park for drilling. Home to a quarter of the world’s mountain gorillas, as well as...

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Photos: baby gorilla takes first steps
Feb15

Photos: baby gorilla takes first steps

Nicknamed ‘Tiny’, a three-month old baby male gorilla took his first steps a the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Zoo. Tiny had not left his mother since birth, but the 12-year-old mom, named Mjukuu, encouraged him to begin exploring his home. While Tiny is beginning to get his first teeth, keepers say he has awhile to go before reaching a full-sized silverback male. Photos courtesy of...

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What a face!
Dec05

What a face!

A Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) makes a face. Listed as Critically Endangered the Sumatran orangutan is largely threatened by habitat loss to plantations, such as wood pulp and palm oil, and logging. After losing their forests, many orangutans, such as this one, are now housed in rehabilitation centers. Photo by: Rhett A. Butler. Click to see more photos of...

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Orangutan Awareness and Caring Weeks Collide

post by by Melanie J. Martin, special to mongabay.com Sumatran Orangutan in Gunung Leuser National Park. Photo by Rhett A. Butler in May 2010 The Orang Utan Republik Foundation (OURF) and other conservation NGOs are celebrating November 7-13, 2010 as Orangutan Caring Week. The theme this year is “Back to Green,” which, according to OURF, implies returning orangutans to the wild while becoming more ecologically conscious. Meanwhile,...

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Gorilla born at the London Zoo
Nov01

Gorilla born at the London Zoo

Mjukuu with her new baby boy. Photo courtesy of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) . On October 26th, the London Zoo received a new arrival: a baby western lowland gorilla. The as yet unnamed boy was born to first-time mother Mjukuu. Zoological director, David Field, said the pair were doing ‘brilliantly’. Classified by the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered, western lowland gorillas, a subspecies of lowland...

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