Sumatran Orangutan Puteri celebrated her 53rd birthday!

At 53-years-old, Puteri is the oldest orangutan in our colony of eight and there's a lot that makes this grand old dame special. 

We asked her keepers to share their favourite things about her that make Puteri uniquely Puteri:

She loves to sit and relax in the company of her keeper friends
Peanuts are the way to her heart - one of her favourite activities is to sift for nuts in her sandpit
Out of all our orangutans, she's the only one who is left-handed
She's become known for her old lady habits of flatulence 

To celebrate her milestone, keepers made a special oatcake complete with 'carrot' candles, fruit numbers and nuts for decoration.

It was devoured in just a few bites, so it looks like Puteri liked it!

Primate Supervisor Holly Thompson said: "Puteri is a very special lady and all the keepers have many great memories with her. 

"If I've been on leave, she will always shield her face from me when I return. She'll come over and rest next to me while covering her beautiful face. 

"But after some time explaining where I've been, she'll slowly take her hand away and connect back with me. And a tasty peanut always helps seal the deal!

"It's certainly a milestone for an orangutan to reach 53 years old, so we are very happy to celebrate her!"

Puteri is a very special orangutan to our zoo keepers, and is known for being a gentle and maternal soul. She is mother to Perth Zoo's Utama and Teliti, as well as Temara who made history as the first zoo-born orangutan released into the wild in 2006. 

53 is an incredible age for an orangutan and a testament to the love and care she is provided. 

In the wild, female Sumatran Orangutans are critically endangered and would be lucky to reach their late 40s. And that’s if they are able to survive the multiple threats including habitat loss, poaching or avoid being trafficked into the illegal pet trade.

It’s a tough life out in the wild, but thanks to the excellent health care, love and safe haven the Zoo provides, today Puti (as we call her) is 53 years young! And we couldn’t be happier.

Happy Birthday, Puti!