The Naples Zoo has only been open for an hour, and visitors are already flocking to see the zoo's newest arrivals: DeeDee, RanDee, Dira, and Riplee, four bright red-haired, Bornean orangutans.
Lee Ann Rottman is the Director of Animal Programs at the Naples Zoo. She says the orangutan family was relocated to Naples from Zoo Tampa.
“A year and a half in the making, and to see it come to fruition, and I'm just really excited about it,” said Rottman.
Rottman started her career at Zoo Tampa and worked with this family of orangutans before, so this is sort of a reunion for her. She’s explaining the enclosure they now call home.
“They are an arboreal species,” said Rottman. "They really like to be up, and you can see that by watching them. So, by creating those upper levels, and all the ropes and pathways, it's sort of that or arboreal highway. So, I'm really proud of how everything has turned out.”
Perched on the center pathway up in the trees, the orangutans are deeply fascinated by some bright orange tulle fabric.
Rottman points out the family matriarch, DeeDee, who is wrapping the tulle around her head and neck like a bonnet, rubbing its texture into her firefly red hair with her long fingers.
“One of the reasons I'm very partial to DeeDee, I worked with her for almost 30 years, and she's a very intelligent animal, she's always thinking,” said Rottman.
The keepers are constantly giving the animals different items as creative outlets for both physical and mental exercise to keep the orangutans happy and healthy.
In this family, DeeDee is the mother of 15-year-old, RanDee, and 5-year-old, Dira. DeeDee is also a grandmother to RanDee’s son, 2-year-old, Riplee.
“DeeDee is also very crafty, she knows how to tie knots, and she'll create little necklaces out of any kind of enrichment that we give them,” said Rottman. "She really is that, you know, crafty, mechanical thinker, and her kids are exactly like it.”
Bornean orangutans are naturally found in the forests of Malaysia and Indonesia, but massive deforestation due to the harvesting of palm oil is destroying Great Ape habitats.
Palm oil comes from the fruit of oil palm trees, and according to the World Wildlife Fund, it’s found in close to 50% of supermarket products.
Everything from pizza, doughnuts and chocolate, to deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste and lipstick, contain palm oil.
Rottman says the Naples Zoo uses education and awareness programs to emphasize the significance of protecting orangutans and their habitats.
“They have a story to tell, and you know, when you're looking for ambassadors, and really, you know, wanting to connect to conserving animals,” said Rottman. "Wild orangutans do have a story and an action item that people can do to help conserve them.”
Rottman says that an app called “PalmOil'' helps consumers identify what products are created using sustainable palm oil practices that do not decimate great ape habitats.
“It gives the power of the consumer to you,” said Rottman. "And if you make good choices, you're helping save orangutans. I think it was important for Naples to have that species and that story.”
As DeeDee and her family climb the high ropes to different platforms and play with their new tulle fabric, visitors marvel outside of the new orangutan enclosure.
Victoria Vorperian is here with her 2-year-old daughter Melina. They came specifically to see the great ape family.
“We have just been so excited to meet these orangutans, said Vorperian. "And they're so sweet. Look at the baby! It's swinging! Oh, my goodness.”
Vorperian says she knew palm oil wasn't great for the environment, but didn’t know that the palm oil industry had an impact on orangutans.
After seeing the enclosure and a baby orangutan that's not much older than her own daughter, Vorperian says she will be more aware of her shopping on the future.
“Oh, for sure," said Vorperian. "Yeah, for sure. Be more mindful. Because you see these little animals and you know, they have a beautiful habitat, but you know, you want to do whatever you can to protect them.”
To celebrate the arrival of the Zoo’s orangutan family, they have 500 limited edition magnets that feature a photo of Deedee and Dira as a baby. All proceeds will go to the Naples Zoo Conservation Fund.
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