Orangutan become a mother of invention as she seeks shelter from a jungle downpour

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Undercover work: Female Borneo orangutan shelters herself and her baby from the rain with leaves over her head at Camp Leakey research station, Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo


As everyone knows getting caught in a summer shower can be leave you a little under prepared, with newspapers and briefcases often used to cover heads

And life in the jungle is no different for this inventive orangutan mother and her child in the rainforest of Tanjung Puting National Park in the Indonesian province of Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo.


Wet outlook: The mother orangutan looks to see if the rain shows signs of going off


Gathering foliage from the ground at the first sign of rain, the adult orangutan made an impromptu rain hat that coupled as an umbrella for her little one.

Adding extra protection from the heavy tropical rain the concerned mother tucked her unimpressed youngster as far under her arm as she could to shield her from the shower.

Camp Leakey, where the orangutan and her baby were observed, was established in 1971 by Dr. Biruté Galdikas of the Orangutan Research and Conservation Project and her former husband Rod Brindamour.


No change: The orangutan and its child both hang on and wait for the rain to stop


Over the years, Camp Leakey has supported the research efforts of dozens of scientists and students including undergraduate and graduate students from Indonesia and North America.

Projects have ranged from research orangutan, proboscis monkey, gibbon and leaf-eating monkey behavior and ecology, to studies of orangutan sign language abilities and cognition, to leech behavior, and river system ecology.

Although it is an active research facility, Camp Leakey welcomes day visitors with local guides to observe the orangutans from a safe distance.

source: dailymail