Charlie was born at Singapore Zoo 21/03/1981. He’s lived at Auckland Zoo since 1984 and is the confirmed sire of three infants. Typical of a male of his species, Charlie is highly food motivated.
@marmolady It’s a clever design. On rainy days like this, everything the orangutans need is right by the viewing window. And on sunny days, seeing the orangutans take to the aerial ropes (especially crossing the lake) is a sight to behold.
Charlie is 41 years old, but still has such a presence to him. It’s hard to imagine Auckland Zoo without him - even more so for those old enough to have known him since he arrived in 1984.
That is great, really clever design! I'm not sure to what extent the exhibit is covered, but your photos give me the impression that there is a real canopy-like feel to the structures, which by the sounds of things give the orangutans the safety of cover often lacking in zoo orangutan exhibits (compelling the animals to spend so much time indoors).
@Abbey The exhibit is only around 5% covered with panels forming an overhang on the night house building. This photo shows it better: Bornean Orangutan Exhibit - ZooChat
However, it’s sufficient to provide shelter from the rain and the wind and the orangutans have everything they need, so they’re more than happy. This exhibit is truly phenomenal and a vast improvement on the previous exhibit (1987-2017).
@Abbey They have so many options. During better weather I’ve seen Charlie and Melur brachiating across the ropes in this exhibit and sitting up on the climbing poles. A highlight was seeing them take to the aerial ropes on my last couple of visits; though I was grateful for the opportunity to see them close up.
Some would argue that an exhibit could never be too big, but honestly this is huge for just two adults and a newborn. The zoo once housed up to seven adults and adolescents in one grouping, so it’s a shame the colony was disbanded a decade before this exhibit opened.
@Zoofan15 I take it that the siamangs don't share the orangutan exhibit per se, but also can be given access to the aerial pathways.
Aerial pathways sound like an amazing aspect both for exhibiting the animals and for their enrichment. I think that Sydney Zoo also has a short course, but I'm not sure how commonly the orangutans are given access to them - that said, I've only visited once and on that day, the orangutans seemed to spend most of their time indoors and only foraged out when being fed outside.
@Abbey The Siamang have their own exhibit of equal size opposite to the Bornean orangutan. They do have access to the ropes occasionally, but every time I’ve ever been it’s the orangutans turn (they never simultaneously have access).
