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SUNDAY, MARCH 10, 1985
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CROWD-PULLERS IN RECENT WEEKS HAS BEEN THE YOUNG MALE BORNEAN ORANG-UTAN WHO WAS BORN LAST JULY 4 AND WHO, BECAUSE OF THE DATE, WAS GIVEN THE NAME +MERDEKA+ (THE MALAY WORD FOR INDEPENDENCE). HE IS NOW ABLE TO CLAMBER AROUND THE ORANG ENCLOSURE ON HIS OWN, BUT HIS MOTHER WHO IS STILL REARING HIM WITH GREAT AFFECTION AND PATIENCE, KEEPS A CLOSE EYE ON HIM.
OTHER MONKEYS AND APES HAVE ALSO BEEN PRODUCTIVE. YOUNG HAVE BEEN BORN THIS WINTER TO THE COMMON MARMOSETS, THE GOLDEN-HEADED LION TAMARINS, THE CELEBES BLACK APE AND THE RED-CHEEKED CRESTED GIBBON.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL SAID THAT THE BIRTHS OF THE LION TAMAR IN AND GIBBON BABIES WERE PARTICULARLY WELCOME SINCE BOTH ANIMALS WERE EXTREMELY RARE.
AMONG OTHER NEWCOMERS WHICH ARE PROVING OF GREAT INTEREST TO VISITORS ARE A FINE MALE RED-CROWNED CRANE FROM THE PEKING ZOO AND A PAIR OF SHORT-BEAKED ECHIDNAS FROM THE ROYAL MELBOURNE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL SAID THE RED-CROWNED CRANE WAS RECEIVED IN EXCHANGE TO PROVIDE A MATE FOR THE FEMALE RECEIVED IN 1983 WHILE THE ECHIDNAS WERE GIVEN TO HONG KONG AS A GIFT.
+IN THE WILD, ECHIDNAS SUBSIST ENTIRELY ON ANTS AND OTHER INSECTS AND FOR THIS REASON THEY ARE ALSO KNOWN AS SPINY ANTEATERS, HE SAID.
+IN CAPTIVITY THEY THRIVE ON A 'SOUP MADE FROM MANY DIFFERENT INGREDIENTS, THIS GIFT WAS IN APPRECIATION OF HELP GIVEN TO MELBOURNE BY THE HONG KONG ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS STAFF OVER MANY YEARS, IN ASSISTING THE TRANSHIPMENT OF ANIMALS THROUGH HONG KONG ON BEHALF OF THE MELBOURNE ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.+
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