Orangutan SSP

#PongoPosts

Weird and wonderful thirty-five-year-old Kiko resides at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. He has an evening practice of laying down for the night in the big nest he has made and often finding the best piece of hay or fabric to stick up his nose! Keepers don’t typically see him put the object in his nose but get a good laugh when they lock up for the evening and see him settled down, complete with his fancy nose jewelry. It just goes to show that orangutans each have their own unique and quirky personality and getting to know these idiosyncrasies is what makes being an orangutan keeper so rewarding.
Written by Erin Stromberg

Photo credits - Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

The Orangutan Species Survival Plan®

Formed in the 1980's, the Orangutan SSP is a group of dedicated professionals with five primary goals:

Ensuring the genetic and demographic health of the captive population
Advancing the care of captive orangutans
Engaging in research to help learn more about orangutans and their care

Educating the public about critical orangutan issues
Partnering with other organizations that seek to improve the lives of wild and captive orangutans

Welfare of individuals, social groups and populations

Together with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Orangutan SSP serves the accredited zoos that house orangutans in the United States, Canada, Mexico and South Korea.

Working closely with respected professionals in the field, the SSP provides help and guidance to zoos housing orangutans. Together, zoos and the SSP seek to provide the best possible environment for these amazing apes.

AZA members are committed to #orangutan conservation. Between 2018 and 2019, over $2.2 million was spent on orangutan #conservation focused on habitat restoration, rescue and rehabilitation, and education and outreach. #WeAreAZA #AZASAFE #SavingSpecies

Orangutans in Zoos

Orangutans live in 50+ accredited zoos all across the United States, Canada, Mexico and South Korea. Find out where they are and more about their exhibits here.

Photo by Max Block

Resources
This website serves as a central forum for important information for members of the SSP.

Click here to enter the Member’s section and find out the latest happenings for and about the Orangutan Species Survival Plan.