Toronto Zoo unveils name of baby orangutan
The Toronto Zoo has unveiled the name of one of its newest members.
A baby boy Sumatran orangutan has been named Wali, which means guardian in Indonesian.
The zoo says his name is fitting as “Sumatran orangutans are the guardians of the rainforests.”
“The Wildlife Care keepers put forth some wonderful names, but one of these suggestions stood out as the clear winner, and we are thrilled to introduce you to Wali!,” the zoo said in a news release Friday.
The zoo held a name reveal party for the baby on Friday, which also marks World Orangutan Day.
Toronto Zoo CEO Dolf DeJong was in attendance for the celebration, along with Consul General from the Indonesian Consulate Dyah Lestari.
In photos from the event, Wali’s mother, 29-year-old Sekali, is seen lifting a box and revealing her little one’s name.
Shortly after Wali was born on April 8, 2022, the zoo held a name guessing campaign for the public to contribute suggestions.
Sumatran orangutan Sekali is seen unveiling her newborn baby boy's name, Wali, at the Toronto Zoo on Friday, Aug. 19, 2022. (Twitter/@TheTorontoZoo)
“We had thousands of people participate in our name guessing campaign, and it’s wonderful to include our community in these important milestones” DeJong said in a statement. “The birth of a critically endangered orangutan is an important contribution to a genetically healthy Sumatran orangutan population in human care, and his name represents the crucial fight orangutans in the wild are currently facing.”
The zoo says there were an estimated 240,000 orangutans in the wild 10 years ago and today there are only about 120,000 remaining.
“With more than half the population gone in only 10 years, the threat of extinction is very real. This is mainly due to habitat loss because of the rapid expansion of palm plantations which supply western demands for palm oil,” the zoo wrote.
Wali is Sekali’s second child but her first with Budi, a 16-year-old male orangutan, who she was paired with at the recommendation of the Association of Zoos and the Aquariums Orangutan Species Survival Plan.
The Toronto Zoo houses the only Sumatran orangutans in Canada.
The zoo is also in the final stages of completing its new outdoor orangutan habitat, which is expected to be open by Spring 2023.
The zoo says the new habitat will allow the orangutans to experience a “wider range of sights and sounds, and travel around on special overhead lines to areas outside the new habitat.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bank of Canada cuts key rate for first time in more than 4 years
The Bank of Canada announced Wednesday that it’s cutting its key interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.75 per cent.
Hamilton children's hospital pauses tonsil, adenoid surgeries after death of 2 pediatric patients
McMaster Children’s Hospital is pausing scheduled tonsil and adenoid surgeries for patients under the age of 18 after officials say two pediatric patients who underwent the procedure died shortly after being discharged.
When Hitler threatened the world, they enlisted. Today, they have 6 great-grandchildren
Born in 1922, Anne McNamara is now 101 years old. Her husband Howard is 104. They are among the few remaining Canadian veterans with first-hand memories of WWII.
WATCH Massive sinkhole opens up on Australia World Heritage-listed island
A 'near-shore landslide' has opened up a large sinkhole that's eating one of the iconic beaches on Australia's World Heritage-listed K’gari Island, formerly known as Fraser Island.
WATCH Will the Bank of Canada keep cutting rates? What an economist thinks
The Bank of Canada cut its overnight rate by 25 basis points, the first drop in more than four years --- but is it just the beginning of a round of cutting? An economist says we'll know more about the bank's thinking after the next announcement
Are more Americans moving to Canada because of Trump?
While a growing number of Americans may be considering moving north to Canada to escape Donald Trump, an immigration lawyer says few will actually qualify to live and work here.
DEVELOPING Sask. RCMP searching for suspect connected to Manitoba officer involved shooting
Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect who they say fled from incidents in Winnipeg and Niverville, Man.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Pierre Poilievre proves to be a quick study when it comes to damage control
It was Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s birthday on Monday, but he could've probably done without the package that one of his more obscure backbenchers dropped on his doorstep, writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his latest column for CTVNews.ca.
Israeli nationalists march through Palestinian area of Jerusalem, some chanting 'Death to Arabs'
Thousands of mostly ultranationalist Israelis were taking part in an annual march through a sensitive Palestinian area of Jerusalem on Wednesday, with some stoking already surging wartime tensions by chanting 'Death to Arabs.'