Perth Zoo farewells one of world’s oldest Sumutran orangutans, 56-year-old Puteri.

There is a particular sorrow that comes when a life that has spanned generations finally reaches its end—when the keeper who cared for you as a child is now the keeper who says goodbye, and the visitors who once pressed their hands against the glass are now parents themselves, bringing their own children to see you. At Perth Zoo this week, that sorrow arrived with the passing of Puteri, a Sumatran orangutan who was one of the oldest of her kind in the world.

Puteri, 56, was humanely euthanised after experiencing significant age-related health issues, following the advice of veterinarians and animal welfare experts . She was Perth Zoo's longest resident and the first orangutan ever born at the zoo—a life that began in 1970 and ended more than five decades later .

Her legacy extends far beyond the walls of her enclosure. Puteri raised four daughters, contributing to the genetic diversity of the Sumatran orangutan population in human care. One of her daughters, Temara, became the first Perth Zoo-born orangutan released into the wild in Indonesia's Bukit Tigapuluh National Park, through a conservation partnership with the Frankfurt Zoological Society .

Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn, who first saw Puteri as a young child visiting the zoo, said she "helped connect generations of Western Australians with wildlife and inspired countless people to care about conservation" . South Perth MLA Geoff Baker called her a favourite for generations of visitors, noting that "her legacy will live on through the important conservation work she helped make possible" .

Perth Zoo is home to seven Sumatran orangutans and is internationally recognised for its expertise in caring for the critically endangered species. Puteri served as an ambassador for her kind, helping visitors understand the threats facing wildlife in Southeast Asia—habitat loss and the impact of unsustainable palm oil production .

For the keepers who cared for her, and for the many Western Australians who grew up visiting her, Puteri was more than an animal in an enclosure. She was a constant, a presence that spanned childhoods and generations, a reminder that the natural world is both fragile and worth protecting.

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Sources: PerthNow, Australasian Leisure Management, The National Tribune, ABC News