Adelaide Zoo’s female Sumatran Orangutan, Karta was born at San Diego Zoo, arriving at Adelaide Zoo in November 1992.

She has lighter coloured eyes compared to the majority of orangutans and is known for her round features and big belly. Karta’s favourite treats are sweet and she loves fruit. When it comes to enrichment, she enjoys a challenge – the harder the better!

Karta Fun Facts:

• She was born on July 22, 1982.
• Karta is a strong and independent 21st century woman, who's extremely smart and has lots of patience.
• Zoo keepers describe her as very loving and sweet with those she trusts.

ORANGUTAN FACTS:

Sumatran Orangutans inhabit the tropical rainforests on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. The species is now restricted to north Sumatra and Aceh Provinces.

Also known as the red ape or the 'old man of the forest', orangutans are the largest tree-dwelling mammal on earth. Humans share 97% of our DNA with orangutans and the species is considered by many scientists to be the smartest of all the great apes.

It is estimated that there are only around 6,000 wild orangutans. These figures suggest that they could become extinct within the next ten years as the population continues to decline by as many as 1,000 a year.

The greatest threat to the Sumatran Orangutan is habitat loss caused primarily by logging, forest conversion for agriculture and the clearing of land for palm oil plantations. Legislation in Sumatra prohibits the owning, killing or capture of orangutans but poachers still hunt them, primarily for the illegal wildlife trade.