SEKARA the orangutan’s motherly instincts kicked in today at Perth Zoo when her five-year-old son lost his grip and fell out of the enclosure.

Perth Zoo visitors looked on shocked as Sekara escaped her “award winning” enclosure to retrieve her clumsy young son, Sungai, from the external garden bed he fell in to.

A Perth Zoo spokeswoman explained Sekara, who is known for her excellent maternal instincts, dropped down to retrieve him, moving onto the visitor boardwalk, before moving back into her exhibit voluntarily.

She said the incident was over within 15 minutes and visitors were swiftly removed from surrounding areas in line with the zoo’s standard procedures.

Camera Icon Orangutan escapes from Perth Zoo Credit: PerthNow

The spokeswoman said Perth Zoo’s Keepers had regular contact with the orangutan colony which contributed to Sekara's ease and calmness around humans.

“Sekara remained calm whilst on the boardwalk. However if she felt threatened she could have elicited a typical fight or flight response – this was not the case today,” she said.

The spokeswoman said he zoo was conducting a full investigation into how the incident occurred.

“The award winning orangutan exhibit was designed in consultation with primate experts, conservationists and specialist architects,” she said.

“Animal and human safety is a number one priority at Perth Zoo.

“Perth Zoo undertakes regular safety and emergency drills so we are best prepared for any type of emergency.

“This allowed us to quickly contain this afternoon’s situation.”

After all the excitement, the spokeswoman said Sekara and Sungai were safely in their night quarters.

"They have been checked by our vets and are both calm and in good health," she said.