Check Out This Orangutan Jazz Prodigy

At the Adelaide Zoo, a Sumatran orangutan has composed his first single, a jazz riff, on World Orangutan Day. His keeper hopes it draws attention to the endangered species.

• The primate’s name is Kluet, and he is 20 years old.
• Orangutans share 97% of their DNA with humans, and they are incredibly smart.
• His keeper says, “He’s brilliant, [orangutans] in general are really the geniuses of the animal world. Kluet in particular is very playful and cheeky, very inquisitive, loves to try new things.”
• Since he needed new ways to entertain Kluet, he showed him some multimedia content on his phone.
• The orangutan figured out how to use the screen with his fingers, so his keeper gave him an app to create music with.
• Kluet instantly loved making music, and showed he has talent very quickly.
• “He started just riffing away and playing some amazing stuff,” his keeper said.

Now, the zoo is selling his first single, a 30 second jazz riff, on their website.

“When I first heard the song, I knew he had created something pretty special,” his keeper said. It’s called “Give Me A Klue” and it’s played and composed entirely by Kluet on electronic drums and piano.

All of the funds raised will go to benefit orangutan conservation efforts to mark World Orangutan Day. There are only 7,000 of these Sumatran orangutans left, and they could go extinct in the next 10 years.

This is truly amazing! Listen to his composition below:

You can hear a bit of classic jazz songs in the clip, like the Pink Panther theme or The Way You Look Tonight, according to his keeper. When he was asked if Kluet is a musical prodigy, he said, “Definitely, I think he’s got some talent there.” We’re sure you’ll agree.

Read about how science saved the Kakapo bird next!