Orangutan drinks water from glass like a human

Orangutans are one of the most intelligent of the great apes. They are the most solitary, and also one of the most endangered. They spend most of their lives in tress and live off fruits, and occasionally eat insects and bird eggs. They are gentle creatures and they resemble humans in their appearance and their mannerisms so much that we cannot help but be fascinated by them.Show more

This is Puppe, a Sumatran Orangutan who has just celebrated her 52nd birthday. She has lived at the Toronto Zoo in Canada since it opened in 1974. She is the second oldest Sumatran Orangutan in north America. Born in the wild, her true age is not known, so she could actually be older than 52. Most orangutans will not live past 30 years of age, whether in the wild or in captivity. Puppe has had five offspring during her life at the zoo and she is the grandmother to four more orangutans.

The Toronto Zoo is one of the highest rated zoos in the world for animal welfare and standard of care. Puppe's living conditions are far more favourable than those of wild orangutans. This zoo is also a world leader in terms of education, outreach, and promotion of conservation efforts.

Puppe is more than just a part of the wildlife in the zoo. She is an entertaining character who will often interact with guests, much to the delight and amusement of those who visit. Puppe seems to take a particular interest in men who are on the older side. She will often come up to the glass and pay particular attention to those who are paying attention to her.

One of Puppe's favourite activities is to clean the inside of the glass. She is given a bucket of water and a squeegee which she will use properly. Let's hope Puppe has learned how to keep the streaks from being left on the glass!