Ehime: Zoo Aims to Breed Endangered Bornean Orangutans on Verge of Extinction

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:15 JST, January 10, 2026

TOBE, Ehime — A female Bornean orangutan from Indonesia has been newly introduced into a zoo in the town of Tobe, Ehime Prefecture. The zoo aims to have her breed with the male orangutan already in its care.

The female orangutan, named Jennifer, is 14 years old. She arrived at the Tobe Zoological Park of Ehime Prefecture on Dec. 11 after being brought to Japan in November and undergoing quarantine. The zoo plans to display her publicly as early as February.

Caretaker Eriko Inoue, who manages Jennifer’s care, said she has begun adjusting to the environment at the zoo and often eats mandarin oranges and persimmons. “I hope people notice how cute and intelligent she is,” Inoue said. “I also hope this will be an opportunity for people to learn about the circumstances of wild orangutans, which are on the verge of extinction.”

Bornean orangutans are listed as “endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. The number of Bornean orangutans kept in captivity in Japan has now reached 26. Pairing them for breeding is challenging, so the prefecture has been working with the Indonesian government and local zoos to receive a new orangutan.