CORE BORNEO

Milo and Merkur:  Photograph taken by Alexandra Kissling

We are excited to welcome another healthy infant to the Tuanan population – Merkur! Merkur is the first offspring of mother Milo, who was born soon after we started conducting research at Tuanan in 2003. It is wonderful for us to document a full cycle of life and collect important data on the age of first reproduction in wild orangutans. This single data point was 13 years in the making, and provides scientists with insights into the natural life history of orangutans, information that is critical to understanding population growth and predicting the effects of deforestation and climate change. This birth is also significant, as Merkur is the first new infant born at Tuanan after last year’s major fires. We hope this is a sign that the population is doing well and has good chances for recovery!