Nothing I write here is from Adelaide Zoo or Monarto Zoo themselves. This is just observations I've made from visits and information from articles.
I thought I'd introduce Karta first of all because she was the first great ape I ever laid eyes on, and because she is such a fantastic and interesting character.
Karta is a female Sumatran orangutan who lives at Adelaide Zoo, South Australia.
She was born at San Diego Zoo on 22 July 1982, I'm not sure as to who her parents are but I think she may be the mother of Karen. http://www.sandiegozoo.org/kids/animal_orangutan_karen.html I know none of her babies at Adelaide Zoo survived due to mismothering, but I can't see how San Diego Zoo could have two Kartas and she's the only one I know of. She's lived at Perth Zoo in an attempt to teach her mothering skills from other orangs but instead, Karta taught Perth's orangutans some of her bad habits!
In 2006, Karta and her mate at the time, Pusung moved to the new Immersion:the Rainforest Experience exhibit, to be joined by a lively pair of siamangs. I'd first seen the two orangutans in their old enclosure so it was wonderful to see them with so much more space. Karta seemed to get on really well with the siamangs, playing with them and grooming- although they did like to wind her up a bit. She seemed particularly close to the male siamang, Irian.
However, Irian eventually took the teasing too far when Karta really wasn't in the mood. Karta pulled him down from a high rope, and Irian fell to the ground, breaking his arm in two places. After witnessing this, I alerted the keepers of course, but didn't see Irian and his mate Suli for over a year after the incident as he recovered behind the scenes.
In 2007, Karta received a new mate, a handsome young fellow named Kluet. The two came out into the exhibit together for the first time in January 2008 and Kluet always seemed very keen to help with the breeding program! Karta is on contraceptives at the moment while having 'baby lessons' so hopefully she can be a good mother next time.
Karta is strong-willed and extremely intelligent, for a long while she'd been working on the electric fences and even taught Kluet some fence-breaking skills. Nothing comes between Karta and her food (she has the belly to prove it!) and Kluet can look adorable as much as he wants, there's no way Karta's giving him any!
In April 2009, Pusung passed away, and Karta grieved heavily for her old friend and mate, even though they had not lived together for some time. It is thought that the reason for her escape on Mother's Day might have been because she was looking for Pusung. The zoo was evacuated, but Karta went calmly back into her enclosure after a short while of her own accord.
At the moment, Karta is living on her own as Kluet had his arm broken late last year in a fall out with her, although they have been getting on very well through the mesh. Karta has been showing off her skills on the new feeding puzzle and is very persistent and clever in her approach.
News Links about Karta:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25456799-2,00.html
http://city-messenger.whereilive.com.au/news/story/mum-s-the-word-for-karta/
http://city-messenger.whereilive.com.au/news/story/adelaide-zoo-mates-mourn-orang-utan-s-loss/
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23073505-2682,00.html
Photos of Karta-
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