Cuteness Quotient: Rare Bornean Orangutan Born At ZooTampa

SEMINOLE HEIGHTS, FL — Adorable doesn't begin to describe the newest baby for ZooTampa at Lowry Park.

The zoo is celebrating the birth of a baby Bornean orangutan to first-time mom Randee. The little guy, who hasn't yet been named, entered the world Sunday and made his debut at in the orangutan habitat Thursday.

Newborn Bornean orangutans, like all baby apes, are born completely dependent on their mothers, with maternal care continuing for many years.

The Bornean orangutan differs in appearance from the Sumatran orangutan, with a broader face and shorter beard.

In addition to drawing crowds at the zoo, the birth of the baby Bornean orangutan bodes well for his species. The Bornean orangutan population has seen a decline of more than 55 percent during the last 20 years due to deforestation caused by unsustainable palm oil farming.

Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil that comes from the fruit of the African oil palm tree. It's used for cooking and added to products such as soaps, cosmetics, ice cream, cookies, chocolate and frozen meals. About half of all packaged goods sold in U.S. or European grocery stores contain palm oil.

The popularity of palm oil, however, has led to massive deforestation in Africa.

To protect and preserve the habitat and ecosystems that animals such as the Bornean orangutan depend on, the ZooTampa supports the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil, which promotes sustainably grown African oil palm trees.

Instead of boycotting palm oil, the RSPO created product-labeling guidelines based on strict environmental, social and economic standards to help consumers know when a product contains palm oil that was sustainably grown and, therefore, did not rely on clearing forests.

For its part, ZooTampa sells only candy that is made with sustainable palm oil in its retail locations and at its themed events such as Halloween’s “Creatures of the Night.”

ZooTampa is home to three generations of orangutans, which are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium's Species Survival Plan.

The AZA represents more than 230 facilities in the United States and overseas, which have dedicated millions of dollars annually to support scientific research, conservation and education programs for endangered species. To date, the AZA has established programs to save 500 endangered animal species.

ZooTampa is helping 10 of those species to survive including the pygmy hippo; the greater one-horned rhinoceros, one of which was recently born at the zoo; the Aldabra giant tortoise; the Florida panther; the Bornean orangutan; the African penguin; the African elephant; the African painted dog; the southern white rhinoceros; and the Florida manatee.

To keep all animals at the zoo healthy, ZooTampa at Lowry Park is home to the Jacarlene Foundation Animal Care Campus, made up of four buildings that provide daily care of the zoo's more than 1,300 animals.

The campus includes the Catherine Lowry Straz Veterinary Hospital, the animal nutrition center and the Tiedemann-Cotton Animal Care Annex.

The Catherine Lowry Straz Veterinary Hospital, accredited by the American Association of Animal Hospitals, offers state-of-the-art equipment and a dedicated veterinary team.

In addition to the manatee rehabilitation work, the veterinary team at the zoo serves as a medical center for several of Florida’s iconic wildlife species including black bears and Florida panthers, and works closely with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Research Institute.