Prague zoo's month-old Sumatran orangutan finally has a name
Kawi, a newly born baby of critically endangered Sumatran orangutan, holds on to his mother Mawar at their enclosure at the zoo in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. Kawi was born on Nov. 17. 2020. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
PRAGUE (AP) — He's called Pustakawan, or Kawi if you wish.
ADVERTISEMENT
Prague's zoo said on Wednesday it has finally completed the process of naming a critically endangered Sumatran orangutan baby born on its premises on Nov 17.
Kawi, a newly born baby of critically endangered Sumatran orangutan, holds on to his mother Mawar at their enclosure at the zoo in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. Kawi was born on Nov. 17. 2020. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
It took a while because the zookeepers had to go through more than 4,000 proposals submitted by members of the public.
Kawi is the fourth baby for his mother, Mawar, and the first for father Pagy.
Kawi, a newly born baby of critically endangered Sumatran orangutan, holds on to his mother Mawar at their enclosure at the zoo in Prague, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. Kawi was born on Nov. 17. 2020. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
His name means Librarian in Indonesian, zoo officials said. Librarian was the name of an orangutan in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series of fantasy novels.
ADVERTISEMENT
The species has been drastically reduced by hunting and by destruction of its forest habitat. Only around 14,000 of the great apes with long red hair are believed to exist in the wild.