Milwaukee County Zoo announces arrival of new female orangutan

The Milwaukee County Zoo is now home to an 11-year-old Bornean orangutan named Rayma. She arrives from the Topeka Zoo and joins resident male orangutan, Tommy, as a companion animal.

The Milwaukee County Zoo is now home to an 11-year-old Bornean orangutan named Rayma. She arrives from the Topeka Zoo and joins resident male orangutan, Tommy, as a companion animal. Photo By JOEL R MILLER

July 12, 2016

The Milwaukee County Zoo is now home to an 11-year-old female Bornean orangutan named Rayma, who arrived from the Topeka Zoo as a companion for the local zoo's resident male, Tommy.

Rayma is now on public exhibit in the Primates of the World building, according to a news release.

According to a news release, Rayma is "very sweet and gentle with animal staff and Tommy" and likes to stand on top of large enrichment items such as plastic barrels. Not long after the two orangutans were introduced, zookeepers observed some play behavior, grooming and food sharing between them, according to the release.

According to the zoo, orangutans are critically endangered in their native Indonesia due to deforestation caused by the harvesting of palm oil. Palm oil is found in many common products such as soaps and snack foods.

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