Miri

Pronounced: MEER-ee

Sex: Female

DOB: 2/9/1992

Place of birth: Pittsburgh Zoo

Social group: Lives with Pelari

Miri is the only female is her social group. She is smaller in size compared to Satu and has shorter hair. She has a light orange wispy beard.

Miri is the biological mother of Satu and Pelari.

Learn more about Miri:

• Abdominal Ultrasound on Bornean and Sumatran Orangutans (PDF of presentation - date and location unknown)

Pelari

Pronounced: Pell-AR-ee

Name meaning: Indonesian for "Runner"

Sex: Male

DOB: 9/14/2013

Place of birth: Zoo Atlanta

Social group / habitat: Lives with Miri

Pelari is currently the youngest and smallest member of his social group. He is unflanged but is starting to develop a short, auburn beard.

Pelari is Miri's youngest child and full siblings with Satu. He was born on the day of the Ape Conservation Effort's Run for the Redheads 5K fundraiser.

Learn more about Pelari:

• Pelari's Animal Personality page

Satu

Pronounced: SAH-too

Name meaning: Indonesian for "One" - He was the first Bornean orangutan born at Zoo Atlanta.

Sex: Male

DOB: 11/30/2003

Place of birth: Zoo Atlanta

Social group: Lives independently

Satu is the largest orangutan in his social group. He has long, dark auburn hair and distinct flanges (cheek pads).

Satu is Miri's son and full siblings with Pelari. 

Learn more about Satu:

• Satu's Animal Personality page

Benny

Pronounced: BEN-ee

Sex: Male

DOB: 3/6/1979

Social group: Lives with Blaze

Benny is a fully flanged adult male with a light orange beard. He is the oldest male Sumatran orangutan in the population managed by the Orangutan SSP.

Benny is Pongo's father.

Blaze

Pronounced: Blaze

Sex: Female

DOB: 1/20/1996

Social group: Lives with Benny

Blaze is the only female in her social group. She is small in size compared to other female orangutans. While her body hair is bright auburn, she has lightly colored facial hair and a strawberry blonde beard.

Blaze is Pongo's biological mother.

Learn more about Blaze:

• Abdominal Ultrasound on Bornean and Sumatran Orangutans (PDF of presentation - date and location unknown)

Pongo

Pronounced: PON-go

Name meaning: Pongo is the Genus classification of orangutans

Sex: Male

DOB: 1/10/2013

Social group: Lives independently; socializes with Keju

Pongo is currently the youngest and smallest member of his social group. He is unflanged but has started developing an impressive beard in recent years.

Pongo is the son of Benny and Blaze.

Madu

Pronounced: MAH-doo

Sex: Female

DOB: 5/13/1983

Social group: Lives with Nangka

Madu is a mature female Sumatran orangutan with a very round face accented by a short beard. She is the only adult in her social group.

Although Madu has no biological offspring, she has adopted five infants whose mothers were unwilling or unable to care for them. Madu will bring an infant to the orangutan care team to receive regular bottle feedings through a steel mesh barrier, but provides all other aspects of maternal care herself.

Learn more about Madu:

• Madu's Animal Personality Page

• The Madu Bunch (PDF of presentation given at Orangutan SSP Workshop in 2015 or 2016)

Remy

Pronounced: REM-ee

Name meaning: His full name, Rembulan Wajah, is Indonesian for "moon face"

Sex: Male

DOB: 11/26/2010

Place of birth: Fort Worth Zoo

Social group: Lives with Keju

Remy is a Sumatran orangutan. He is currently unflanged but has started to developed a short beard.

Remy was Madu's third adoptee. Remy is not biologically related to Madu or Keju.

Keju

Pronounced: KAY-joo

Name meaning: Indonesian for "cheese" (named by staff at Henry Vilas Zoo to honor her Wisconsin roots before coming to Atlanta)

Sex: Female

DOB: 4/9/2015

Place of birth: Henry Vilas Zoo (Madison, WI)

Social group: Lives with Remy; socializes with Pongo and Pelari

Keju is a Bornean orangutan. She has sparse hair on the top of her head and has not yet developed a beard.

Keju is not biologically related to Madu or Remy.

Learn more about Keju:

• Happy 8th Birthday Keju! (4/18/23 Keeper Story)

• 6/4/25 Facebook post describes Keju as "skilled at climbing and balancing and has a unique method of traveling on her pathways..."

Nangka

Pronounced: NAHNG-ka

Name meaning: Indonesian word for jackfruit

Sex: Male

DOB: 5/1/2023

Place of birth: Sacramento Zoo

Social group: Lives with Madu

Nangka is a Sumatran orangutan. He came to live with Madu after his biological mother did not express appropriate maternal interest or provide appropriate care. He is currently the youngest orangutan at Zoo Atlanta and the only juvenile living with Madu.

Learn more about Nangka:

• A Heartwarming Update on Nangka the Sumatran Orangutan (10/18/23 Press Release)