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.
“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
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.