Amelia has always seemed like an old soul with her face displaying wisdom beyond her years. Her hair has grown and her features are filling out. She looks healthier than she has ever been. You may even ask if this is the same orangutan, but we can assure you it is!

Amelia has taken to spending more time in the forest, leaving behind the “safety blanket” that is the infant playground. Among a cluster of trees, she assumes a power stance propping herself between a fallen tree and another tree trunk. At the moment Amelia likes to indulge the orangutan habit of chewing food, regurgitating it into her hand and then re-ingesting it. It always tastes better the second time round, right? Amelia isn’t one to turn down any fruits on offer. She has a taste for all the fruits we give her, from bananas to papayas. She also searches for her own wild fruits in the forest.

Amelia continues to grow and develop not just physically but also mentally. She remains as watchful as ever but seems much more relaxed in her surroundings. She gazes up into the canopy and takes in the scope of the forest as far as her eyes can see. The possibilities seem irresistible.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. One thing that hasn’t changed is Amelia’s enjoyment of being left to her own devices. She shares her enclosure with her playmates but as soon as she can, she leaves them far behind to pursue her own adventures and investigations. One thing that has changed is that sudden noises or unfamiliar caregivers no longer trouble her like they used to do. She doesn’t purse her lips or grow agitated any more. As long as she herself isn’t being bothered, she applies a “live and let live” life philosophy. There are certainly worse mottos to have. She doesn’t even mind if a person with a camera comes in for a close up.

Amelia has advanced recently. These things can happen overtime, sometimes seemingly overnight. One thing that we can be certain is that Amelia will keep surprising us for years to come. Good for her!

Click here to download Amelia’s February 2022 Foster Update