We all know that Monti is one of the smartest orangutans on Besar Island. She really enjoys being alone, trying to figure out what can she do in the forest. Whenever the keepers arrive to give food or drinks, she will be the first one to come to them.
Sometimes the keepers will give a whole coconut as enrichment; Monti is really smart at opening them. She knows how to use tools to crack the coconut and drink the coconut water.
At one point, Monti was often escaping from the forest islands by watching how the keepers entered and left the islands using a drawbridge, and she copied them! She’s an excellent observer and a quick learner. Given Monti has an excellent range of orangutan skills and is very independent, we are hopeful that Monti will be a release candidate soon. Keep up the great work Monti- we can’t wait for you to return to your true forest home in the future!