Free-range orang-utan exhibit

PAT · 7 Jan 2015

I know a lot of zoochatters really like this exhibit for its natural setting and lack of any obvious barriers. I took this photo to show just how high off the ground the orang-utans are.

Does anyone (Zooish?) know how this arrangement works in terms of the animals that are exhibited? It seems as if there are a lot of young ones and not many adults.

Zooish · 7 Jan 2015

Only younger adult females and juveniles of both sexes are allowed to "free-range". Adult and sub-adult males are an escape risk due to their size and strength; there is also concern that the large males and some of the older females may be too bulky and less limber, and may break branches and fall.

PAT · 8 Jan 2015

Zooish said:
Only younger adult females and juveniles of both sexes are allowed to "free-range". Adult and sub-adult males are an escape risk due to their size and strength; there is also concern that the large males and some of the older females may be too bulky and less limber, and may break branches and fall.

I thought that might be the case. Thank you. Do you know where the constant supply of young orang-utans come from?

Arizona Docent · 8 Jan 2015

This would be lots of fun to see.

Zooish · 8 Jan 2015

PAT said:
I thought that might be the case. Thank you. Do you know where the constant supply of young orang-utans come from?

There are several breeding females (both Bornean and Sumatran species) and they breed regularly.

Free-range orang-utan exhibit

PAT

Zooish

PAT

Arizona Docent

Zooish

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