Audubon Zoo's Youngest Sumatran Orangutan Celebrates Birthday
Menari, the Sumatran orangutan born at Audubon Zoo to great fanfare in 2009, celebrated her seventh birthday on Friday.
Menari, the Sumatran orangutan born at Audubon Zoo to great fanfare in 2009, celebrated her seventh birthday on Friday.
Joined by her mother, Feliz, Menari marked the occasion by playfully tearing down a birthday banner and ripping colorful wrapping paper from boxes filled with treats, including blueberries, popcorn, breakfast cereal and a variety of dried fruits.
The birthday girl, whose name means "dance'' in Indonesian, had to share a watermelon with her mom. A crowd of Audubon Zoo guests gathered outside the orangutan exhibit sang a rousing "Happy Birthday'' as Menari sampled her gifts.
In 2009, Feliz and Berani, Menari's father, welcomed the first orangutan birth at Audubon Zoo since 1996 and one of only two in the United States that year.
Her species is endangered in its Indonesian homeland. Illegal logging, hunting and the conversion of rain forests into palm oil plantations have devastated orangutans' natural habitat and reduced numbers.
Audubon Nature Institute operates a family of museums, parks and research facilities dedicated to celebrating the wonders of nature. Through innovative live animal exhibits, education programs, and scientific discovery, Audubon makes a meaningful contribution to preserving wildlife for the future. Audubon Nature Institute flagships include Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Entergy Giant Screen Theater, Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Special Survival Center, Woldenberg Riverfront Park and Audubon Wilderness Park. Ron Forman is President and CEO of Audubon Nature Institute.