Bit concerned after my visit today. The Sumatran orangs were in the window area, so there was amazing view of them ( a rare occurance in my visits!) However, one of the adults vomited on the window sill and immediately re-ate it, directly in front of the public, ( who of cause screamed.) Surely that isn't the behaviour of a happy / healthy animal? Or do orangs do that kind of thing? Rare to see something like that at Chester.
Chester Zoo Chester Zoo Discussion and Questions 2022
- Thread starter GiraffeJack10
- Start date
hari Jones
Well-Known Member
Possibly just ate her food to quickly and I'm saying her because Emma and subis love coming up to the glas unlike puluh
The gorillas at Howletts /port Lympne do this all the time. There was a sign up explaining it at one point I think
It is termed 'R&R' - regurgitation and re-injestion- a common habit in zoo gorillas, they seem to enjoy the process of eating to the extent of repeating it over and over sometimes. Seems like Orangutan will do it too.
taun
Well-Known Member
Twycross also had a sign up at one point about their gorillas doing it.
Gigit
Well-Known Member
One of the adult females, watched with great interest by her offspring, did this when I visited a few years ago. So I guess it's just a habit. Maybe she enjoys seeing the horrified reactions too!
It's apparently entertainment for them; they simply enjoy doing it over and over again. I've seen dolphins do it before, but never orangutans or gorillas.
hari Jones
Well-Known Member
I've seen them outside once on a very hot day interacting with the pademelons but I've never seen the sloths swimming in the pool below them
Do they share the enclosure with a Sloth? Thats a rather interesting mix.
hari Jones
Well-Known Member
I meant the tank in the jaguar house and speaking of sloths I'm still yet to see a sloth outside
They do have quite a nice indoor enclosure though.
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
Does anyone know if Aung Bo the Asian Elephant Bull will be departing soon? Indali his Daughter is reaching the age that her Grandma Sithami was when her Dad Chang mated her. For those that are not aware Indali's Mum Sundara was the result of an accidental breeding between Father and Daughter. If I were Chester Zoo I would move Aung Bo ASAP. Chester don't want another accidental breeding between a Bull and his Daughter.
I’m not aware of any plans to transfer Aung Bo.
Indali has only just turned five years old and Chester Zoo won’t be breeding with her for at least another 3-5 years.
Indali doesn’t live with Aung Bo full time and is at no risk of falling pregnant by him.
The Hedgehog
Well-Known Member
@Zoofan15 I thought that Aung Bo was with the heard every day. There is no way of guaranteeing that Indali wont fall into her Grandma's shoes and be inpregnated by her Dad. I suppose the Elephant keepers could put Indali on a contraceptive pill but even these can fail.
The one consolation is that now Aung Bo's son Anjan is becoming a young boisterous Bull he can be left in the Bull enclosure with his Dad. This means that The Cowes could be in the main paddock alone. Speaking of Anjan are there any plans for his future?
Chester Zoo’s elephant complex has an extensive capacity to seperate elephants. If Indali is cycling already (and indeed cows can cycle as young as four), the zoo would be monitoring it and would have the commonsense to keep her and Aung Bo seperate during this time.
If there was a chance of them mating, the greater danger would be the mating act itself, where such a young female would be at risk from injures from being mounted by a mature bull. The zoo will obviously not allow this to happen.
We've had this discussion before @The Hedgehog.
Aung Bo is kept seperate from the herd; they have a smaller paddock behind the main one. Indali is most likely on contraception, Chester will have already taken to combating these concerns. When they have identified she is indeed cycling, they would definitely be making sure she is seperate just in case.
Anjan is only three, and so won't be moving away from the cow herd until at least another few years. He'll most likely move into a bachelor group once he gets to the age where he can no longer be tolerated by the cows.
Mr.Ivory
Well-Known Member
Chang did not mate with Sithami that was Upali, Upali in turn mated with eldest daughter Sundara and had Heri with her. And in a few years time Anjan will move to a bachelor facility.
hari Jones
Well-Known Member
I mean in the first ever episode of slotz the presenter said that before he came to chester he loved in a bachelor group in Saville also if I remember correctly didn't one of the elephants hate Aung bo when he first arrived and the keepers moved her on