Source : Perth Now news
Perth Zoo has farewelled one of its longest residents, a beloved 56-year-old Sumatran orangutan, known as Puteri.
The female orangutan was humanely euthanised following the advice of animal welfare experts and veterinarians amid experiencing several significant age-related health issues.
As the first orangutan born at Perth Zoo, Puteri participated in breeding programs in Australia and raised four daughters, helping to maintain the critically endangered species.
Over more than five decades, Puteri helped inspire millions of Perth Zoo visitors to learn more about her species and the threats facing wildlife in Southeast Asia, including habitat loss and the impact of unsustainable palm oil production.
One of her daughters, Temara, made history as the first Perth Zoo-born orangutan released into the wild in Indonesia’s Bukit Tigapuluh National Park through the zoo’s conservation partnership with the Frankfurt Zoological Society.
Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn expressed his gratitude for Puteri’s impact in Western Australia.
“Like many Western Australians, I first saw Puteri as a young child visiting Perth Zoo, getting to see her over the years raise her daughters.
“Puteri helped connect generations of Western Australians with wildlife and inspired countless people to care about conservation.
“My condolences are sent to the passionate keepers, veterinarians and zoo staff involved with the care of Puteri over her long life, and also extend to the wider Western Australian community.”
