Last time I saw him I noticed someone had given him a haircut .... he used to have very long trailing dreadlocks, but these are now definitely much shorter. That could well give the illusion of him having lost some weight ! I suppose it's also possible that he has actually lost some body weight since Tiga arrived .... I'd never seen him as active before as he is (sometimes) now - the exercise / climbing / chasing often being prompted by Tiga teasing him, or by Tiga having some item of food Rajang likes the look of.
Ah - so it could be the shorter hair that I noticed then! I'ts good that he's getting a lot of exercise now, and that he and Tiga are getting on so well.
Last time I saw him I noticed someone had given him a haircut .... he used to have very long trailing dreadlocks, but these are now definitely much shorter.
I couldn't figure out what was different but yes, its his long dreadlock hair. What has happened- did they cut it all off? I've never heard of that being done before but it wouldn't suddenly get worn off naturally, even by any increased activity.
How do you cut an orangutan's hair? Surreal images of Rajang at the barber's - 'hair gel, sir?'. Maybe Real Orangutan Hair Pieces will soon be on sale in the zoo shop?
They probaby cut it through the mesh as he's very friendly/obliging. I'm interested as to why they did it- was it either just to tidy him up or were they worried Tiga might get caught up in it or something?
Wild male Orangs don't have 'dreadlocks' as constant movement through the trees 'combs' their hair keeping it shorter and flowing finely- the long matted hair is a product of captivity/ inactivity, particularly in Sumatran males which seem to grow longer coats when adult.
