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Rajang 4 May 2009
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GillP

Rajang 4 May 2009

  • Media owner GillP
  • Date added
When I visited on bank holiday Monday, he was pacing back and forth, into the corner, then back again up to the glass, but not settling by the window like he usually does.

Rather worryingly, on the Colchester Zoo facebook page, someone else mentioned that he'd seen him pacing 2 days before.

I spoke to one of the keepers (who seemed to be watching him) and she described him as unsettled, but didn't know why, though she did say he wasn't poorly.

I also asked about a companion for him. She said that this is definitely still on the cards though they're a little concerned that if they get an elderly female orang, they could find themselves in the current situation again (i.e. one orang on its own) when one of them dies. She did however say something along the lines of (can't remember her exact words) there being rumours of a pregnant female, though she countered that with the obvious fact that most zoos wouldn't want to relinquish a pregnant female ....... so don't know what all that was about, whether it was wishful thinking, or more to it. You'd then end up with a situation of a breeding female, but no breeding male. Can only think that maybe an older breeding female towards the end of her fertile years might be a possibility, though I can't see another zoo allowing a female to become pregnant in the 1st place if they were then going to pass mum and baby on ?

I also took a deep breath and asked about the lack of brachiating opportunities in the new enclosure (to be fair, the keeper seemed very nice). She said that Rajang wasn't much of a climber but that they would be reviweing the facilities if and when they got younger orangs in. I persisted and pointed out (nicely) that if they were more vertical ropes he might brachiate, but that without them he diefinitely wouldn't ! ....... and she opened up a bit and said that they'd been considered, but decided against and that they (meaning the keepers I presume) didn't understand why they weren't included but that they (the keepers) didn't have much to do with it (the design).
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GillP
When I visited on bank holiday Monday, he was pacing back and forth, into the corner, then back again up to the glass, but not settling by the window like he usually does.

Rather worryingly, on the Colchester Zoo facebook page, someone else mentioned that he\'d seen him pacing 2 days before.

I spoke to one of the keepers (who seemed to be watching him) and she described him as unsettled, but didn\'t know why, though she did say he wasn\'t poorly.

I also asked about a companion for him. She said that this is definitely still on the cards though they\'re a little concerned that if they get an elderly female orang, they could find themselves in the current situation again (i.e. one orang on its own) when one of them dies. She did however say something along the lines of (can\'t remember her exact words) there being rumours of a pregnant female, though she countered that with the obvious fact that most zoos wouldn\'t want to relinquish a pregnant female ....... so don\'t know what all that was about, whether it was wishful thinking, or more to it. You\'d then end up with a situation of a breeding female, but no breeding male. Can only think that maybe an older breeding female towards the end of her fertile years might be a possibility, though I can\'t see another zoo allowing a female to become pregnant in the 1st place if they were then going to pass mum and baby on ?

I also took a deep breath and asked about the lack of brachiating opportunities in the new enclosure (to be fair, the keeper seemed very nice). She said that Rajang wasn\'t much of a climber but that they would be reviweing the facilities if and when they got younger orangs in. I persisted and pointed out (nicely) that if they were more vertical ropes he might brachiate, but that without them he diefinitely wouldn\'t ! ....... and she opened up a bit and said that they\'d been considered, but decided against and that they (meaning the keepers I presume) didn\'t understand why they weren\'t included but that they (the keepers) didn\'t have much to do with it (the design).
 
J
It'd be nice if Monkey World was more into sharing their orangs, since if they sent, say, Gordon here, because that'd free up room back there and give Rajang a companion. It might also set up a new breeding collection, unless Colchester's hoping to get Sumatrans.
 
GillP
The problem with Gordon (for example) is that he's 12 this year and presumably the 2 males would fight ?

Rajang is 41 this year and it's feasible he might live to 50, so the pair would need to be kept apart all that time. The only way it could be done if one was in and one was out, but in colder months, that'd mean that one would spend much of the day in one of the 3 much smaller sleeping areas while the other was in the main indoor section.

Also, surely Gordon will very shortly be coming into his prime as a breeding male. It seems pointless to send him somewhere without any females.
 
Gigit
I've heard rumours about the pregnant female scenario too. I was told in confidence so can't say any more, except that it doesn't seem very likely.
 
P
GillP said:
The problem with Gordon (for example) is that he's 12 this year and presumably the 2 males would fight ?
.
Click to expand...

There is absolutely no mileage in sending 'Gordon' here, UNLESS he was paired with a female and allowed to breed of course, which is quite different but I doubt he'll ever leave Monkeyworld..

He could never be kept with Rajang- not only would they fight but Rajang being much older and stronger could conceivably kill him (this has happened before in a zoo)

The story of the keepers not being consulted much in the design of the enclosure is typical though its sad that this is still hapening in 2009. All they can do is shrug philosophically and get on with their work... saying Rajang doesn't brachiate may make them feel better that he still can't in this enclosure- he would do so if he had the opportunity. (A bird doesn't fly if its kept in a small cage, but it does in an aviary...)

I am also surprised the EEP evidently haven't come up with a solution so far to providing a new partner for him so far. Obviously this still in the melting pot but with so many Orangutans in zoos in both Europe and the UK it really shouldn't be that difficult to identify a suitable one.
 
J
Well, I'm an idiot :o I just vaguely recalled some other idea that another young male (I think) could have been sent to keep Rajang company, and as MW needs the room...
 
P
No you're not an idiot...;) rumours like that are always circulating around. But I'd suggest it would be very risky(for the newcomer that is) to ever try and put a younger male with Rajang. What he needs is another female partner to share his enclosure like Djambe and Annie prevously did though I don't think you'll find he's actually pining for any company, as in the wild, adult males like him are often solitary for most of their time anyway.

However I'll bet the zoo want to avoid any perception of keeping an Orangutan in 'solitary' permanently.
 

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