When you're a baby orangutan facing a long and daunting trip abroad, a bit of luxury goes a long way. Kiwi was given a first-class ticket as she sailed across the English Channel with her carers to start a new life in Dorset. Born in a Spanish conservation centre, the nearly-one-year-old was rejected by her mother.
After attempts for another orangutan to adopt her failed, she has moved to Monkey World in Wareham - home to Europe's specialist orangutan creche. She made the 90-minute journey from Calais to Dover in the best available seats of the P&O ferry Liberte to ensure she had a stress-free place to stay for the crossing. Jack Steer, P&O Ferries port operations director, said: "It is not every day we have an orangutan onboard and it was a special day for our P&O Liberte crew who greeted Kiwi and arranged a quiet place for her to stay as she sailed across the English Channel.
" Kiwi is the second baby orangutan to join the creche at the Dorset ape rescue centre for orphaned and rejected youngsters in recent weeks. Three-month-old Sibu moved to the centre in October from Dublin Zoo after his mother was unable to feed him. Monkey World said Kiwi had settled in with Sibu, spending time together within the nursery to watch the older orangutans.
Still needing night milk feeds as well as comfort, Kiwi and Sibu spend evenings and mornings together with the specialist Monkey World care team. They will eventually move up to the nursery full-time with four other young orangutans born .