MONKEY World in Dorset has welcomed an orphaned orangutan which has been welcomed into its new adopted family.

Four-year-old Bornean orangutan Kayan was born at Twycross Zoo, Warwickshire, but its mother sadly died last year.

Orangutan youngsters need and want to be with their mothers, as they would normally stay close to them for up to seven years.

They have the longest childhood of all primates, next to humansm, and it was vital that Kayan had the chance to be with others of her own kind.

Monkey World, near Wareham, is home of the British and European crèche for orphaned orangutans, with a dedicated nursery specially designed to develop strength, social skills and climbing confidence.

Here infants can grow-up with other orangutans, supervised by expert staff and by growing up with others of their own kind, the crèche aims to break the cycle of abandonment that happens when orphaned primates mature and give birth to their own offspring.

To date, Monkey World has provided a home to 22 orphan orangutans from nine different countries.

Monkey World director, Dr Alison Cronin, travelled to Twycross to meet the youngster and move her back to Dorset safely.

“Kayan is a very confident youngster despite being an orphan and travelled very well," she said.

"The relationship between mother and child is incredibly close, long, and important to the development of many aspects of orangutan behaviour so we were very happy to work with Twycross Zoo to give Kayan what she needs which is a family of her own kind.

"Kayan will be joining an international crowd of orphan orangutans here at the park.”

Bornean orangutans are critically endangered in the wild, and at risk of extinction due to deforestation and hunting from the wild for the illegal pet trade and tourist industry.

Many at Monkey World were rescued from the black market trade, having been stolen from the wild as youngsters after their mothers were hunted and killed.

The Dorset site provides a home to the refugees of this illegal trade, rehabilitating them and providing a specialist environment.

In just one week Kayan has now met her new international family, including her adopted mum Oshine (from the pet trade in South Africa), her older brother Bulu Mata (an orphan from Budapest Zoo), and her two sisters Rieke and Mimi (orphans from Berlin & Moscow Zoos).

She is now living with her adopted family and seems to have been working on international relations between the UK and Russia, as she has found a close comrade in Mimi, from Moscow zoo.

The pair have been playing long games of tag, using blankets to blindly chase one another.

Monkey World said it is pleased to be able to offer a home to Kayan and allow her to have a family of her own again.