As the youngest orangutan in the group of arrivals that came to us from a Hollywood trainer in 2017, Archie was very small for a 12-year-old and full of fun and play. He often has a big “play-face” and loves any kind of fun activity including playing “ghost” under a sheet with Keagan.
Archie was in the entertainment business in California for a few years, but most recently he lived in Central Florida. As Archie has grown and matured, he has become more self-conscious and even shy. He likes to put up a blanket in front of him and then peek over the top at visitors so all they can see is the top of his head and his eyes. When he thinks someone is looking at him, he ducks down behind the blanket and hides. This is a very new behavior for Archie, but not unusual for teenage males who are beginning to develop their cheekpads or facial flanges.
Archie has lives with his older sister Keagan and the mature older female Sunshine since his arrival from the entertainment business.
The Center for Great Apes has successfully implemented birth control methods for each of our residents… until 2020. One morning in February (2020) we discovered one of Archie’s companions (Sunshine) had given birth to a little girl who we’ve named Cahaya which means “light”, “radiant” and “shine” in Indonesian.
Archie is the father of this infant and even though he still often acts like a juvenile, he has matured during the first year of Cahaya’s life. He has a very gentle approach and acts protective of Cahaya while he also likes to hold her and play with her. However, Sunshine is cautious and watches Archie closely when he’s with Cahaya. Archie’s older sister Keagan is a wonderful aunt and has been allowed many more privileges and interactions with the baby than Sunshine has allowed for Archie.
However, Archie is patient and remains gentle and playful with Cahaya.
