I have followed the debate on the new orang exhibit with great interest. Does anybody have any pictures of the old exhibit to upload? Did that one only have indoor enclosures?
The previous enclosure(outside) was just a much smaller, rectangular shaped version of this one really. Viewing was at ground level through glass windows along the longer front perimeter. There were walls on each side and at the back was the inside area- a very gloomy & simple one room 'house' with two shelves and no climbing equipment. That could also be viewed through a glass window if you walked around to the back..
In the old enclosure the animals were viewed from ground level- in that respect the outside of this one is WORSE if you can only view into it from above. This gives it more of a 'Pit' feel to it. Whoever devised this design cannot have any empathy with Orangutans- why didn't they take a look at some other Orangutan enclosures to get some better ideas? The more I see this enclosure the more I think it is truly awful..... 'Orangutan Forest' is a ridiculous name too.
I think the woodchip is better than grass, gives more foraging oppertunities. Of course, this is an Orangutan, and had this exhibit been designed well he wouldn't be using the floor
I haven't been to Colchester in several years, and can barely remember Rajang (though he was one of the animals I always wanted to see ), but I must admit, his new enclousure (at least this outdoor one!) looks goddamn awful!
It looks small (it might just be the photo though) and rather fake, with a distinctive plastic look about it. Is it that hard to import real real rocks these days?! It can't be too hard either to find a species of tall, scrubby grass (like in the chimps enclousures at Monkey World) in which to forage, can it?
Overall, looks disappointing and Rajang looks lonely too. Hopefully he'll be found a new friend soon, though I should think they'll demand a few improvements!
I think the woodchip is better than grass, gives more foraging oppertunities. Of course, this is an Orangutan, and had this exhibit been designed well he wouldn't be using the floor
1. Woodchip has no foraging value for an animal like an orangutan- they can't eat it and don't dig in it- its just a surface to walk on- grass would be far better for them.
2.All captive orangutans very frequently use the floor, even in good exhibits with masses of climbing equipment, far more than in the wild. In enclosures with plenty of climbing equipment they are stimulated to climb more though.
It looks small (it might just be the photo though) and rather fake, with a distinctive plastic look about it. Is it that hard to import real real rocks these days?!
I think it is just the angle of the photo. It is VERY fake but that is in keeping with Colchester's own particular style- a number of exhibits have grotto -style fake rockwork framing the viewing windows etc.
I cannot see much point in including rocks- real or fake- in an exhibit for Orangutans. They are not baboons...This enclosure as it is actually looks more suitable for baboons, or maybe Himalayan or sun bears. I hate it....
@Gigit Where was the old outdoor enclosure? I know the indoors was just the now Capuchin enclosure (temporary Sun Bear accommodation at one point), but I didn't realise there even was an outdoors.
@Rajang-GOAT I've found an old map from 2003 showing the enclosure and added a photo of it to the Gallery.
From what I recall, you could see the indoor area from one side and the outdoor area from the other. It was nothing spectacular - a climbing frame and some grass. I know I have a couple of photos somewhere, including one of Rajang's old Sumatran companion, Djambe, who came from Twycross. But finding them would involve a search in the loft!
