TAIPING: Every morning, before the Zoo Taiping and Night Safari opens its gates to visitors, a team of dedicated caretakers quietly begins their day — feeding, cleaning and nurturing one of Malaysia’s most iconic and endangered species, the orangutan.
To visitors, the orangutans swinging gracefully from branch to branch may seem carefree and content. But behind their good health and energy lies the tireless devotion of their human guardians.
Five orangutans call the zoo home — Heaven, 32; Veera, 25; Wasabi, 23; Katrina, 22; and Qaseh, 6.
For caretaker Ahmad Rahimi Hasbi, 49, who has spent more than two decades caring for these great apes, the bond between a caretaker and an orangutan is essential to their well-being.
“Our routine starts in the morning. We feed them milk before releasing them into the exhibition area until about 6.30pm or 7pm, when they return to their cages to sleep.
“I’m close to all of them, there’s no favourite. They each have their own personality and some follow instructions well. Not all of them, however, are equally obedient.
“Katrina, for example, can be stubborn. If she gets out and we call her, she won’t come back. The others usually listen, but Katrina — she’s rebellious,” he said.
He added that one of the biggest challenges in caring for orangutans was preventing them from escaping.
“They’re clever,” he said, adding that if they found branches or sticks, they could use them as tools to climb out.
“That’s the hard part, keeping them under control while managing visitors at the same time.”
He added that while an electric fence is in place, “when the orangutans use wooden items to climb, these don’t conduct electricity, so they don’t get a shock”.
Ahmad Rahimi, from Kamunting, said orangutans shared many similarities with humans — including emotions.
“They have feelings, too. Some show affection and even respond when we advise them. As long as we feed them on time and take care of them, they’re easy to manage,” he said.
Another caretaker, Mohamad Syafiq Amin Sharifudin, 28, who joined the team two years ago, said gaining the animals’ trust took patience and consistency.
“At first, it was difficult because they didn’t recognise my voice and wouldn’t listen to me.
“But after two to three months, they started to trust me. Now, we have a special bond,” he said.
He said feeding time for the orangutans was at 10am, 2.30pm and 6.30pm.
“About 6.30pm, we return them to their enclosure. After that, they don’t eat anymore because once it’s dark, around 7pm, they go to sleep.
“Their diet mainly consists fruits like papayas, bananas and grapes. We also give them eggs, coconuts, raisins and nuts,” he said.
Despite the long hours and challenges, Syafiq said caring for orangutans was rewarding.
“They may not speak our language, but through care and patience, we understand each other.”
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
