We go ape for orangutans

In desperate need of some exercise, I decided to plop both kids into the wagon and take them on a stroll around our local zoo. When it was just Fiona and us, our first stop might've been the giraffes, or perhaps even the goats which we can feed or brush or be chewed or maimed by.

Now the hot topic for many children is Dumadi, the zoo's baby orangutan born to Tengku and Sayang last October. Sadly, Sayang died shortly after his birth, so the only way we can see little Dumadi is on a video screen. This just makes us love our little native son all the more, though. In time if Dumadi's sister Melati is accepting of him and teaches him the things little orangutans need to know, the zoo will be able to keep him. I certainly hope it works out, both for little Dumadi's sake and for Nora's, who has become quite infatuated with the little bugger. Fiona has always loved the orangutans too, as is evidenced by this photo I took three years ago this Wednesday of Fiona and Ian.

Today as we watched the furry brown beasts swing, lumber, and frolic, I noticed their expressions and their movements and was moved by our similarities. Indeed, looking into Dumadi's round, expressive eyes or feeling his fingers curl around theirs has to be good incentive for the 12 keepers who wear a brown fuzzy suit to mind him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in a separate room.

Nora doesn't have too many toys that weren't previously loved by Fiona, but now she has a small brown orangutan to cuddle and hug. She fell asleep hugging him on the way home from the zoo today. She calls him "Oddy", of course.