Tuan

I, too, agree with all your comment re family trees, individual photo boards and traits etc. It would be very useful and interesting and help visitors to individualise and relate to each orangutan and where they all fit in instead of just refering to them as a 'big red monkey' or to a female as being a 'he' etc through not knowing the difference and lack of information.

Gigit said:

But, they are standing next to a row of photographs of gorillas with their biographical details!

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And 'he' has a baby suckling!

Is Tuan still at Chester? If so what are the chances of ever seeing him, I'm a regular ish visitor (every other week) and have never been lucky enough to see him. Any info would be great such as does he have access to on show areas/the old ape island etc. Would love to see him one day!

Ag999 said:

Is Tuan still at Chester? If so what are the chances of ever seeing him, I'm a regular ish visitor (every other week) and have never been lucky enough to see him. Any info would be great such as does he have access to on show areas/the old ape island etc. Would love to see him one day!

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Tuan is still at Chester and has retires from the breeding programme. I believe he is off show but has been on the island some days im also one of them not fortunate to see him out. I think the plan is to develop the first enclosure in ROTRA for him.

I always peer over the fence and was lucky to catch him once last summer, we caused a bit of a jam when people saw me photographing him and all wanted to see him also.

If you peer through the staves into the bottom corner where the ramp meets the building, you can see whether Tuan's door to the island is open or closed. In the summer he may be able to come out, so if he is not visible but the door is open you can check again later. Just occasionally he will also give a long call when he is indoors, it is easily audible if you are passing by at the right moment.

Alan

Thanks for all the replies, visited the zoo today and there was no sign of Tuan had a look through the staves and his door to the island was closed, looks like i'll have to persist and keep checking. Would be great if they developed one of the indoor enclosures for him what would need to be done for it to be suitable and does he ever have access to the rest of the group?

gentle lemur said:

If you peer through the staves into the bottom corner

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Why did they put the staves/stockade fence around this Island? It never used to be like that.

Pertinax said:

Why did they put the staves/stockade fence around this Island? It never used to be like that.

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As they built the new house, do you want to advertise the old house? I believe their thinking.

I wish you could still see the island and the old indoor house. Have fond and not so fond (on a busy day) in there.

I think the floor of any enclosure would need to have a solid, non-soil floor.

I'm pretty sure he doesn't have access to the rest of the group, he is non-breeding now and if he was a gentleman he could maybe keep Martha company but he's not