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5. Orangutan Phryne. First year in Moscow

Orangutan Phryne. First year in Moscow

Vorontsova E.L. (1), Khlyupin S.A. (2)

1) Lomonosov Moscow State University, Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Mokhovaya st., 11, Moscow, 125009, Russia; 2) Moscow Zoo, Science Department, B. Gruzinskaya St, 1, Moscow, 123242, Russia

Vorontsova Elena L., PhD; ORCID ID 0000-0002-7817-7274; e.l.vorontsova@mail.ru; Khlyupin Sergey A., ORCID ID 0000-0001-7063-7857; shl11@bk.ru.

Abstract

Introduction. The life of a female orangutan named "Phryne" is described in the article. Phryne lived in the Moscow Zoo in 1927–1936. Large apes can serve as model objects for studying the processes of human growth and development, the formation of mental qualities and social hierarchy, as well as ecological relationships. Therefore, the preservation of accumulated experience is an extremely important task. Materials and methods. Materials from scientific and popular publications, as well as archival materials are used in this work. Analytical and chronological research methods were used. Results. Male and female orangutans were captured on the island of Sumatra in 1926 for the Moscow Zoo. In April 1927, during transportation, the female gave birth to a cub. The apes arrived at the Moscow Zoo on July 14. The female was seriously ill. On July 27 she died. The cub was left without a mother. M.A. Velichkovsky, the head of the monkey section, fed the baby with goat's milk from a pacifier. The baby was first mistaken for a male and named Fritz. After a few years, people realized that it was a female. She was named Phryne. The article talks about Phryne's childhood, about the attitude of the male towards her, about the nutrition of monkeys. It also addresses the fate of the head of the monkey section M.A. Velichkovsky. Conclusion. The first year of Phryne's life was very difficult. The experience of growing an orangutan has become an important stage in the development of the Moscow Zoo.

Keywords

Moscow Zoo; Museum of Anthropology; Moscow State University; orangutan Phryne; Velichkovsky M.A.; ecology; interspecific relations

DOI: 10.32521/2074-8132.2022.2.130-139

Цит.: Vorontsova E.L., Khlyupin S.A. Orangutan Phryne. First year in Moscow // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2022; 2/2022; с. 130-139 (Published: July 14, 2022)