A very apey birthday for Dudley Zoo's orangutans who celebrated turning three
It was a very apey birthday at Dudley Zoo as keepers threw a party for orangutans Jim and Joe.
The rare Bornean apes celebrated their third birthday with a handmade three-tier cardboard cake, positioned in the middle of their outdoor paddock.
The cake was packed with hidden tasty treats, but there was also much fun to be had playing with the cardboard.
Jodie Dryden, leader of the primates section, said “Like typical toddlers, our orangutan boys love playing together and are obsessed with boxes.
“They like anything colourful that they can destroy, sit in or put on their heads.
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“The cardboard cake was an instant hit and they played with it for the entire day. We even found bits of it in their den nests the following morning.”
Jim,who turned three last month, is the son of mother Jazz, while Joe, whose mother is Sprout, turns three next week. Djimat is father to both of the half brothers.
The family will be in the spotlight during the zoo's upcoming orangutan focus week, which runs from August 18–24.
The week will be packed with themed activities and games looking at the threats faced by the critically endangered species in the wild, as well as highlighting ways people can help to save the orangutan.
Visitors can also find out more about the zoo's links to Sintang Orangutan Centre in Indonesia, which works to rescue and rehabilitate wild orangutans with the help of funding from the attraction.
