Chester Zoo Bornean Orangutan Group

Jordan-Jaguar97

Jordan-Jaguar97

Well-Known Member
I Was Just Reading The Bornean Orangutan Section On The Website,And I Noticed This;
Martha-Female Bornean Orangutan Born 1966 Oldest In The U.K
I Presume She Is To Old To Breed.
What Is The Current Living Arragment.
Has Donna The Other One of 4 Died?If So What Is The Cause?
 
I think all of the females and babies live together in the first netted enclosure of Realm of the Red Ape. The male (taun) is being kept seperate whilst the babies are young because they are unsure how he'd react and deem it a risk to mix them, but that was a while ago so I don't know if that's changed. Don't know the answers to your questions about Donna sorry.

If anything in there is wrong, please let me know :)
 
jordan-12 said:
When Is The Next Time Any Of The Two Species Of Orangutan's Female's Will Come Into Season?
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Orang Utans have a long interval between births, not exactly sure but I think it's around 5 years between babies. Hopefully someone else can post the correct information if I have got it wrong.
 
jordan-12 said:
I Was Just Reading The Bornean Orangutan Section On The Website,And I Noticed This;
Martha-Female Bornean Orangutan Born 1966 Oldest In The U.K
I Presume She Is To Old To Breed.
What Is The Current Living Arragment.
Has Donna The Other One of 4 Died?If So What Is The Cause?
Click to expand...

Borneans are as follows:
Tuan (off show)
Martha (too old to breed)
Sariki - has infant Iznee
Leia - has infant Latifah

There was in the past another male, but he and Donna both died.
 
bongorob said:
Orang Utans have a long interval between births, not exactly sure but I think it's around 5 years between babies. Hopefully someone else can post the correct information if I have got it wrong.
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This is usually true, although as we all know when the Sumatrans went into RORA they both had young very quickly - much quicker than is usual and certainly not 5 years after their last offspring. I seem to remember the general consensus being that their new habitat and the extra space etc encouraged them to breed much quicker than would be expected. Again- please correct me if i am wrong anyone!....
 
The birth interval in captive Orangutans(of either species) tends to be a lot shorter than in the wild, where females may go as long as 8 years between births. Probably the result of closer proximity, more familiarity and increased breeding opportunities in zoos. Sometimes also the effect of artificial management e.g removal of an older offspring. For example; Emma and Subis' grandmother 'Anne' at Bristol Zoo produced three babies in five years in the early 1970's- only the first- Oscar(father of Emma & Subis) was handraised.
 
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Pertinax said:
The birth interval in captive Orangutans(of either species) tends to be a lot shorter than in the wild, where females may go as long as 8 years between births. Probably the result of closer proximity, more familiarity and increased breeding opportunities in zoos.
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They are also kept in good health with sufficient food rather than struggling to feed themselves, the offspring are also possibly less dependant on their mother's milk.
 
Yes, improved, richer diets in captivity has an effect on the breeding rates in many species.
 
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