Meet Our Friends

Ken Allen

Orangutans are also known for their clever ability to get into places they’re not supposed to go. One of the San Diego Zoo’s most famous orangutans was Ken Allen, a Bornean orangutan Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus known for his creative escape techniques. He would unscrew bolts with hisfingers, reach around to unlatch things, climb up a steep incline by the back of his enclosure to slip over a wall, and so on.

Every time keepers figured out one of his escape routes, he would discover a new one. He never seemed to mind being led back into his enclosure—he just seemed to enjoy the challenge of finding a new way out! Ken Allen became a San Diego Zoo legend, with his own fan club and T-shirts, bumper stickers, and songs created in his honor. Many people were saddened when this gentle, mischievous ape developed cancer and passed away in December 2000.

 

 

Kesi

 

   

 

     His hands was sliced off when plantation workers killed her mother with a machete. They then destroyed the rainforest to plant palm oil.

 

 

Lomon

 

 

 

Lomon, the victim of pet trade, spent years chained up in a wooden box, and when he was rescued, he weighed only 1/3 of what he should have.

 

 

 

Jarot

Jarot has a cracked skull from when poachers shot his mother dead. He only weighed 2.2kg when he was found. His home was also destroyed for palm oil.

 

  Jarot was shot in the head with an air rifle and suffered numerous injuries to his skull.

Bolo

Another orangutan named Bolo was injured by poachers as they destroyed miles of rainforest around him, he now has titanium rods in his broken legs.

Leuser

Leuser, yet another victim was shot with the same gun that killed his mother and many other orangutans, but Leuser survived with 62 pellets in his skull alone. Leuser is now blind.