On January 31, Horst, the oldest living male Bornean Orangutan in the United States, will turn 37! His birthday celebration will take place on February 2. “Horst” is the only adult male orangutan at Busch Gardens.
Horst and his companion, Indra, will be celebrating with a typical birthday party. The orangutans will be given wrapped presents that include special goodies and surprises.
In the wild, male orangutans typically only live into their late 20’s or early 30’s. At Busch Gardens, however, Horst has access to high quality veterinary care and nutrition. In addition, Horst’s keepers provide him with plenty of enrichment (fun foods, toys, and variety), play, and training. All of these factors mean that Horst’s expected lifespan is actually 50-60 years, nearly double that of a wild male orangutan!
Orangutans are some of the most endangered primates in the world. Horst, along with Busch Gardens’ four other orangutans, are ambassadors for their species, which is suffering from deforestation due to the palm oil industry. The Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Program aims to protect the wild orangutan population in and around Gunung Palung National Park in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Conservation Fund has supported the program since 2011. You can help, too!
Palm oil, found in many everyday products, can easily be found through sustainable sources. Simply search for “palm oil” in your smart phone’s app store to pull up a variety of free applications to help you shop orangutan-friendly. In the meantime, be sure come celebrate Horst’s 37th with us! The party starts at 12:15pm near the Orangutan Outpost. See you there!
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