Orangutan named after former zookeeper
Orangutan Ranbi was born in October
At a glance
Paignton Zoo has named a baby orangutan after a former keeper
Ranbi is an anagram of zookeeper Brian Baxter's first name
The zoo said naming the orangutan after him was a tribute to his passion for wildlife
- Published
A baby orangutan has been named after a former keeper at Paignton Zoo.
Brian Baxter worked at the zoo for 47 years before retiring in 2017.
When the orangutan was born on 24 October 2022, keepers wanted to make a tribute to Brian, who had passed away just over a month earlier.
The zoo said naming the Bornean orangutan Ranbi, an anagram of Brian, was a tribute to the keeper's "bright personality and passion for wildlife".
Brian Baxter was known for his bright personality and passion for wildlife
Anne Lunt, Ape Keeper at the zoo, said: "Brian played an important role at Paignton Zoo for many years.
"He saw female orangutan Chinta arrive at Paignton as a two-year-old from London Zoo, and he was still here when Chinta had her first born, Natalia.
"As he passed away so recently it seems only fitting that we should honour Brian’s legacy by naming Chinta’s second baby after him."