A happy orang is a healthy orang

I wonder how happy the old (1930-50's) and famous Sumatran pair Guas and Guarina at the Philadelphia Zoo were. They lived in a cage the size of a shoebox but reared about 8 offspring and both lived to be over fifty years, setting longevity records for their time.
 
As usual, Pertinax has made me think.
I don't think I have ever seen a photo of this famous pair of orangs - and I can't find one on the internet. I'm sure he's right about their cage, but of course that's only one factor in their welfare. The keepers at Philly must have been doing plenty of things right (bleedin' obvious again, I'm afraid) and perhaps they had contented personalities. I wonder if they also benefited from the dietary innovations of Prof Ratcliffe?

Alan
 
gentle lemur said:
I don't think I have ever seen a photo of this famous pair of orangs - and I can't find one on the internet. I'm sure he's right about their cage, but of course that's only one factor in their welfare.
Click to expand...

I have seen various photos of them and the simple barred cage too- but nothing prepared me for the reality of its size when I actually saw it (circa 1980-sadly they were already dead by then) as it was about the size of a small 'front room'.

Actually I often wonder how much suitability of accomodation has to do with species contentment(or otherwise) as many species have bred very successfully in far from optimum accomodation such as that. At Philadelphia the (primate) diets certainly seem to have played a role in longevity of their Apes in those days.
 
Pertinax said:
Actually I often wonder how much suitability of accomodation has to do with species contentment(or otherwise) as many species have bred very successfully in far from optimum accomodation such as that.
Click to expand...

Isn't it a (partial) myth that people use to convince themselves that how the animals are kept is OK "They must be happy they're breeding." Animals (including humans) breed in some hideous conditions. Some of the drive of evolution is about pushing the limits of endurance to colonise new environments.
 
OrangePerson said:
Isn't it a (partial) myth that people use to convince themselves that how the animals are kept is OK "They must be happy they're breeding." Animals (including humans) breed in some hideous conditions. Some of the drive of evolution is about pushing the limits of endurance to colonise new environments.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree that breeding and contentment/happiness aren't necessarily related, or not entirely anyway. Its true that both animals (and people) will breed under very bad conditions too. Even stressed animals will continue with the biological process of procreation/breeding, though their success rate in raising offspring etc may be compromised as a result.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top