The Islands exhibit is home to four beloved orangutans: Teak, Amber, Segundo and Bella. You may not have known that Teak and Amber are former television stars, having appeared with renowned animal expert Jack Hanna on the David Letterman show.

Orangutans are known as the gardeners of the forest because they scatter seeds, which is important to the health of their forest ecosystem. In the remnant wild, they enjoy traveling through tree branches to get from location to location. You’ll see them exhibit this impressive behavior and their enormous strength in the Islands habitats indoors and outdoors. In the late 1990s, orangutans were divided into two species: Bornean and Sumatran. Segundo and Bella are Sumatran, while Teak and Amber are hybrids.

On Tuesday, March 26, 2024, the Louisville Zoo made the heartbreaking decision to humanely euthanize beloved orangutan Teak, following a multi-year battle with heart disease. He was 36 years old. While our staff mourns the loss of any animal, we also recognize how profoundly Teak’s passing will impact our wider community. He was a very special member of our Zoo family. We’re grateful for everyone who has visited and enriched Teak’s time in Louisville. Learn more about his amazing story!

Amber

Amber was born at the Como Park Zoo in St. Paul, Minnesota on October 15, 1987. She came to the Louisville Zoo with Teak in 1996. Amber is known for her playful personality. She enjoys interacting with guests and may tap the glass to grab the attention of those nearby, pointing out sparkling accessories, brightly colored fingernails, or gesturing towards a purse or backpack to see what’s inside.

 Segundo

Segundo was born on November 12, 1987. He is only a few days older than Teak. He was born at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas where he lived before arriving at the Louisville Zoo on May, 19 1997. Segundo has very distinctive coat with the hair on his arms nearly reaching the ground when he stands. He also has a slightly more concave face than Teak.

Bella

Bella was born at the San Diego Zoo on July 1, 1984 and she came to the Louisville Zoo from the Calgary Zoo in Canada on December 19, 1997. Bella is the larger of our female orangutans and has a slightly wider face. She enjoys spending her time swinging and climbing; you may often see her gymnastics in the topmost part of the Islands indoor dayroom or peeping down at you from above the ground in the outdoor areas.