A THREE-month-old orphaned baby orang-utan has been welcomed into the family at Monkey World in Wareham.

Bulu Mata, a tiny fluffy boy weighing three kilograms has made the journey from Budapest Zoo in Hungary to the ape rescue centre in Dorset where he has met his new adopted family after his own mum died just a week after his birth.

It is hoped that Hsiao-Quai, an adult female orang-utan, will not only take on the new arrival but also feed him, having already raised two sons of her own and is currently breastfeeding another three-year-old adopted three-year-old female, Awan.

Specialist care staff at Monkey World will feed and care for Bulu Mata around the clock until then, taking him home each evening to his very own nursery at the park.

Dr Alison Cronin, Monkey World’s Director, said: “Bulu Mata is a beautiful little boy who needs a family of his own kind.

“Here at Monkey World we specialize in rehabilitating monkeys and apes and the most important thing we can do for this tiny infant is to give him a new mother of his own kind.

“It is going to take some time, but the initial signs are good. Orang-utan mum, Hsiao-quai, is very interested in him and even her adopted daughter, Awan, seems to like Bulu Mata.

“It should only be a matter of time before she picks him up and adopts him for good.

“Until then we are very happy bridging the gap caring for him and so pleased we were able to help Budapest Zoo who saved his life.”

At only 15 weeks old, Bulu Mata is getting fed baby formula every three to four hours and is unable to sit up on his own.

Orang-utans have the longest childhood of the great apes, with infants staying with their mothers for up to seven years. During this time the young learn all the skills they need to survive in the wild and to get on with others of their own kind.

For this reason, Alison says it was critical that the baby could live and grow up with other orang-utans.