Colchester Zoo Orang Utan Forest

i think the size of the enclosures is quite large, with 4 sleeping quaters and an indoor enclosure, as its 10 metres high and the sides of the enclosure are climbable maybe its vertical square footage is supposebly enough!

There is a large outside enclosure but that wont be completed until easter next year!

I bought a brick about 4 years ago for this enclosure lol be nice to see it finally in place in the tunnel leading to the new enclosure!
 
bought a brick lol, already knew about the plans for old enclosure but thanks for the rest
 
Went to the adopters day today :D Had a fantastic day!

Went behind the scenes in the old enclosure to watch rajang being fed nuts and dates!

Rajang's training for the move to new enclosure is going very well, (didnt see it) they apparently put a t-bar up to the cage and he will hold both ends of it while they inject him with a syringe! then they are hoping to stretcher him to new enclosure after taking blood and possible give him a hair cut (Hope not I love his long dragging wild hair)
Djambe move plans are not going so well so she may be darted and put in a crate to move!

Went to have a look in the new enclosure it seems huge! I could see 3 separate sleeping areas all with climbing poles and hammocks (thought there was supposed to be 4?)

The indoor play are had a huge (plasticy) looking tree as the centre piece with lots of climbing poles and hammocks!

Half way up in a metal platform for them to sit on that you can see from a viewing platform leading off from the ramp to the outside enclosure! The walls are supposed to be climbable to but it is filled with poles.

Also went outside to look at the very unfinished outdoor enclosure which is a pit semi enclosed (so far) by smooth concrete walls which you will look down into from a viewing platform! In the midlle at the moment is a real tree not sure if thats staying!

According to the keeper they will not bring in any new orang utans while Rajang is still alive!

Took loads of photos but not sure how to upload them as yet but will when i can!

Fantastic day :D No sign of my brick tho!
 
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karenZOO said:
Went to the adopters day today :D Had a fantastic day!

Went behind the scenes in the old enclosure to watch rajang being fed nuts and dates!

Rajang's training for the move to new enclosure is going very well, (didnt see it) they apparently put a t-bar up to the cage and he will hold both ends of it while they inject him with a syringe! then they are hoping to stretcher him to new enclosure after taking blood and possible give him a hair cut (Hope not I love his long dragging wild hair)
Djambe move plans are not going so well so she may be darted and put in a crate to move!

Went to have a look in the new enclosure it seems huge! I could see 3 separate sleeping areas all with climbing poles and hammocks (thought there was supposed to be 4?)

The indoor play are had a huge (plasticy) looking tree as the centre piece with lots of climbing poles and hammocks!

Half way up in a metal platform for them to sit on that you can see from a viewing platform leading off from the ramp to the outside enclosure! The walls are supposed to be climbable to but it is filled with poles.

Also went outside to look at the very unfinished outdoor enclosure which is a pit semi enclosed (so far) by smooth concrete walls which you will look down into from a viewing platform! In the midlle at the moment is a real tree not sure if thats staying!

According to the keeper they will not bring in any new orang utans while Rajang is still alive!

Took loads of photos but not sure how to upload them as yet but will when i can!

Fantastic day :D No sign of my brick tho!
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By the sounds of it a great new exhibit, shame that no new orangs will be brought in to breed though ..... Perhaps then they should ship out the female to allow her pure genes to be spread in the captive population instead ...? :mad:
 
jelle said:
By the sounds of it a great new exhibit, shame that no new orangs will be brought in to breed though ..... Perhaps then they should ship out the female to allow her pure genes to be spread in the captive population instead ...? :mad:
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i think in the future they are planning to bring in more orangs, and thanks for the update
 
jelle said:
By the sounds of it a great new exhibit, shame that no new orangs will be brought in to breed though ..... Perhaps then they should ship out the female to allow her pure genes to be spread in the captive population instead ...? :mad:
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This is strange news- I heard they applied for an additional pair of Sumatrans to breed from in the future...the house is supposed to hold four animals.
 
Pertinax said:
This is strange news- I heard they applied for an additional pair of Sumatrans to breed from in the future...the house is supposed to hold four animals.
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Four!!! Is that all!

Probably best not to hold pure orangutans just incase the hybrid does manage to breed. Can't remember which thread but it was stated alot of matings happening between wiremesh enclosures.
 
taun said:
Probably best not to hold pure orangutans just incase the hybrid does manage to breed.
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Rajang(the only hybrid still in UK) can't breed as he was vasectomised a long while ago. He's had two partners- first a hybrid female(Annie) and now Djambe who is Sumatran.

It says on their website blurb about the new enclosure that they hope to get an additional pair at some stage. I also know they were on the EEP list as wanting more animals. The problem is Rajang would not live with another subadult or adult male so I'm not sure how they would accomodate them.
 
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I think Rajang is such a much loved orang utan they wouldnt risk upseting him by thinking about a breeding programme and bringing in a new male while he is still alive.

He has lived in his enclosure for 25 years (he was 40 this year) and the main priority for the keepers is that he has a happy and safe move, they were telling me they are worried sick something might happen to him when they knock him out!

Rajang and Djambe are like brother and sister, they constantly bicker and apparently Rajang likes to get higher than her and wee on her head! :D :eek:
The keeper has only seen them try to mate once in 5 years (even tho obviously no babies would come of it) but neither of them seem interested!

Plenty of time for Colchester in the future to have breeding orang utans for now I for one will be happy for Rajang to live out the rest of his life happy and comfortable in his new home!
 
If they are worried to knock Rajang down, then why the h** are they doing it? All orang utans in Frankfurt were trained to walk into a crate and then they were moved to the new house without knocking them down. Only one female refused to go into the crate and had to be given drugs.
 
Yassa said:
If they are worried to knock Rajang down, then why the h** are they doing it? All orang utans in Frankfurt were trained to walk into a crate and then they were moved to the new house without knocking them down. Only one female refused to go into the crate and had to be given drugs.
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I know, it seems a silly way to do it.
 
monkey world knock out all animals when they move, why dont they bother to spend time to train them?

and is chester the only zoo in the uk with sumaturan orangs?
 
Yassa said:
If they are worried to knock Rajang down, then why the h** are they doing it? All orang utans in Frankfurt were trained to walk into a crate and then they were moved to the new house without knocking them down. Only one female refused to go into the crate and had to be given drugs.
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I wondered the same thing. Paignton's gorillas were crate trained to travel to Germany & Chessington without being knocked out- Rajang & Djambe have only got to go a hundred yards or so...
 
karenZOO said:
I think Rajang is such a much loved orang utan they wouldnt risk upseting him by thinking about a breeding programme and bringing in a new male while he is still alive.
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In that case why are Colchester on the EEP list of projected moves for Sumatran Orangs to (possibly) receive 1.1. in 2009?

Even the website says they want to add another pair- to hold four animals in total.
 
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It happens that keepers not always tell all the plans, or that they are not as well informed as we think they should be.
 
Yassa said:
It happens that keepers not always tell all the plans, or that they are not as well informed as we think they should be.
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As no one has responded to my comment about the EEP listing, or why the intention to add more animals is published on their website, I'm assuming its either that or this plan has now been put on hold for a period of time.

To build a very lavish enclosure for Orangutans and then keep one Hybrid and one non-breeding female in it and not to join a breeding programme seems very odd. The two existing Orangs could have stayed where they are. :rolleyes:
 
I was only passing on what I was told :rolleyes:

With only the inside part of the enclosure anywhere near completed if they did bring in any more orangs it would mean them taking it in turns to be out of their quite small sleeping quarters.

Rajang is a very special orang and much loved and wont be around for ever cant see what all the rush is about to get a breeding pair at Colchester, those of us who love Rajang are more than happy to see him spend his last days without having his territory threatened and him upset by even more change.

He has spent 25 years in the same enclosure, both of my children have been brought up visiting Rajang and i myself have been going to Colchester for a very long time!

Change is good but no need to rush things, plenty of time for babies at Colchester unlike Rajang who needs to enjoy his old age after all zoos should look after all their animals whether they are part of a breeding programme or not
 
karenZOO said:
I cant see what all the rush is about to get a breeding pair at Colchester, those of us who love Rajang are more than happy to see him spend his last days without having his territory threatened and him upset by even more change.
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I've known Rajang since he was a tiny baby so he's a favourite of mine too.:)

I'm only trying to establish what the facts are regarding any more Orangutans coming to Colchester and if so, when. Obviously nothing will happen while the House is unfinished but after that what I've seen written about this seems to differ from what is being said here.

I'm not familiar with the design of the new house but I can't see how they could accomodate another male with him there, but it does say on their website they want another pair. And Rajang could still live for many years to come yet.
 
:D Aww lucky you, Ive recently got a chester news from July 1968 with a picture of Rajang at 4 days old . . soooo cute.

I just got the impression they didnt think Rajang would be with us that much longer :(. when asked the keeper I spoke to said no plans at the moment while Rajang is still alive.

He is so humanised its hard not to love him :p I get a kiss thro the glass everytime I see him :D which probably makes me far to anti new orangs for this post lol
 
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