I really enjoyed Perth Zoo, I spent most of the time watching and photographing the zoo's many orangutans, including Puan, the mother of my old friend Pusung. She's estimated to be 55 years old, so she really is a grand old lady. Several of her daughters, Puteri, Punya and Pulang are still living at Perth Zoo, her granddaughter Temara was the first zoo-born orangutan to be released into the wild, and her great grandson, Semeru joined Temara late last year in the Sumatran rainforest. I think Puan is looking amazing for her age!
Here is Puan's daughter Puteri, and Puteri's baby girl Teliti
I found Perth's orangutan set up very interesting, each of the eight enclosures housed either a single orangutan, or two, usually mother and child. The enclosures weren't huge but had climbing equipment and places where the orangutans could hide and rest whilst being high off the ground. The orangutans spent most of the time I was there up on the climbing frames and platforms, rather than on the ground as I often see zoo orangutans.
Much as I enjoyed Perth, and catching up with my dad and stepmum, I was so happy to see Bella again when I got home, I missed her a LOT!
Nyaru on his mother, Negara
A brief glimpse of Sekara and her new infant, Sungai