Reaching for the Canopy: A zoo-born orangutan's journey into the wild

by Kylie Bullo

Temara had done her species proud and proven that captive orangutans do have a place in the jungle of tomorrow. I felt honoured that I was by her side during the first part of her remarkable world-first journey. In 2006, Kylie Bullo and her colleagues at Australia's Perth Zoo were part of a bold, groundbreaking experiment that many experts believed was doomed to failure - to return a zoo-born orangutan to the wild. The orangutan they chose was Temara, a fiery redhead with a will of her own. Temara had always been strong, intelligent, and independent, but preparing for the return to the jungles of her ancestors would put all her best qualities - and those of her keepers - to the test. Reaching for the Canopy is the story of that remarkable journey and of the remarkable woman who helped make it happen. The book proves that the right blend of passion, compassion, and hard work can achieve what many thought was impossible. It brings new hope to those fighting to bring this magnificent creature back from the brink of extinction. Part of the proceeds on the sale of this book will go towards orangutan conservation projects. *** ebook available on ProQuest and EBSCO ) [ Memoir, Zoology]

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals

246 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2015

Reviews

[Heather Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I often find these sorts of animal biographies a little dry, but I read this one in a single afternoon! It has a relaxed conversational style that feels much more like sitting down with a friend and hearing about their travels, than reading a formal book. I love orangutans so much, and books like this feel a little like a 'what if' for me, describing a different life path I could have taken, if I'd committed to spending more time focussed on the gorgeous red apes. This book doesn't shy away from the downsides of jungle living, though the sense throughout is that it is all absolutely worth it. I may never end up spending much time in the Sumatran jungles, but reading books like this makes me hope that I will have more orangutans in my future.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into a valuable conservation project