Colchester Zoo Colchester Zoo news 2009 #1
- Thread starter kiang
- Start date
Just in from workWaited all day for news and nothing
aaaaaaaahhhh
We could train pigeons to poop seeds continuously till we get the forest we deserve
You will get a gold star if you can get one of Rajys keepers to join lol
Nothing on the web site as yet but it's early days - he may well be arriving as I type! Perhaps he will bring a sack of grass seed or a few twiglets as a keepsake of his old home?? LOL.
I haven't been to Twycross as yet so not sure what he is used to.
karenZOO
Well-Known Member
Twycross enclosures are not the most favourite on here!
They are brick built buildings with the outside space laid to grass surrounded by a semi circle of glass windows. the grass area is raised giving a natural sort of pit area in front of the glass so no close contact outside. they have a climbing frame outside and a usual asortment of boxes/ blankets.
Inside they have large slanted windows and the inside quarters have a viewing corridor. again a climbing frame metal this time. The sleeping areas are raised platforms. this is basicly the same for orangs and gorillas.
We like visiting twycross due to the number of apes and monkeys they have but the enclosures are nothing special!!
I was going to ask you if you have visited any other zoos in our area during your visits?
We do have alot compared to 'up norf', my fella comes from North Lincolnshire and I was brought up visiting all the zoos in our area where he hadn't till he met me lol
They are brick built buildings with the outside space laid to grass surrounded by a semi circle of glass windows. the grass area is raised giving a natural sort of pit area in front of the glass so no close contact outside. they have a climbing frame outside and a usual asortment of boxes/ blankets.
Inside they have large slanted windows and the inside quarters have a viewing corridor. again a climbing frame metal this time. The sleeping areas are raised platforms. this is basicly the same for orangs and gorillas.
We like visiting twycross due to the number of apes and monkeys they have but the enclosures are nothing special!!
I was going to ask you if you have visited any other zoos in our area during your visits?
We do have alot compared to 'up norf', my fella comes from North Lincolnshire and I was brought up visiting all the zoos in our area where he hadn't till he met me lol
I was going to ask you if you have visited any other zoos in our area during your visits?/QUOTE]
We are planning many overnighters to visit a lot more of the Zoos that Chester Zoo membership includes this Summer with Paignton and Twycross on the agenda first. I also want to see the Gorillas at Paignton, my second favourite ape.
The enclosures don't sound too good then!! Tiga may appreciate the better inside enclosure at Colchester at the expense of his grassy areas then??Hope there's no scrapping tomorrow when I go to see Rajy and that he isn't feeling left out! I'll be sad if I don't get my usual kiss
karenZOO
Well-Known Member
We are doing Paignton at the end of September. Hope to go have a look at Dartmoor and possibly Newquay to and I am trying to convince my fella its only a short hop up to Bristol then possibly Chester lol.
We are short on gorillas in the area lol but we do have Banham, Kessingland (now africa alive or something lol), Linton (small and we only go when they had tiger cubs lol), Whipsnade, Woburn, Paradise, Hammerton are all within easy driving of me lol Suffolk/Essex border
We are short on gorillas in the area lol but we do have Banham, Kessingland (now africa alive or something lol), Linton (small and we only go when they had tiger cubs lol), Whipsnade, Woburn, Paradise, Hammerton are all within easy driving of me lol Suffolk/Essex border
The picture looks like he is in the inside bit of the enclosure so maybe rajy is in the sleeping quarters and outside!
He looks a sweetie from the photo
I do hope Rajy is not in the outside bit for the Primate Eve tomorrow as I've paid all that money just to get close up to Rajy! I've only seen Rajy outside once and he was clinging to the door waiting for it to be opened so he could go back inside. If he is locked outside, I can't imagine he will be happy away from his public! Yep, he does look a sweetie I must admit - just hope Rajy thinks so!
Had a lovely evening at the Primate Evening on Saturday, it was really well organised, informative and enjoyable - perfect Summer's evening too which enhanced the event.
Tiga was hiding most of the time over the weekend under a curtain but he kept surfacing (with curtain in tow) to grab some food and bottles to return underneath with! He's a real sweetie! We did see him having a climb to the top of the enclosure - he is currently in the 3 sleeping areas with Rajy settling down for the night in the main inside area. He seems to be settling down fine and we caught him taking a sneaky peek at Rajy through the bars before retreating under his tent again!!
Think the mystery of the lack of green has been solved - apparently Rajang likes to do a bit of gardening as we witnessed on Sunday as he uprooted one of his grass plants and moved it to under the wooden structure where he proceeded to 'replant' it - in Rajy style (not deep enough) and water it with a bottle! It was fascinating to watch as he kept removing it, clearing the sawdust by digging with a stick and packing it in - he sat staring at it as if he knew something wasn't right! Don't think Alan Titchmarsh has anything to worry about at the moment!!
Tiga was hiding most of the time over the weekend under a curtain but he kept surfacing (with curtain in tow) to grab some food and bottles to return underneath with! He's a real sweetie! We did see him having a climb to the top of the enclosure - he is currently in the 3 sleeping areas with Rajy settling down for the night in the main inside area. He seems to be settling down fine and we caught him taking a sneaky peek at Rajy through the bars before retreating under his tent again!!
Think the mystery of the lack of green has been solved - apparently Rajang likes to do a bit of gardening as we witnessed on Sunday as he uprooted one of his grass plants and moved it to under the wooden structure where he proceeded to 'replant' it - in Rajy style (not deep enough) and water it with a bottle! It was fascinating to watch as he kept removing it, clearing the sawdust by digging with a stick and packing it in - he sat staring at it as if he knew something wasn't right! Don't think Alan Titchmarsh has anything to worry about at the moment!!
Gigit
Well-Known Member
Think the mystery of the lack of green has been solved - apparently Rajang likes to do a bit of gardening as we witnessed on Sunday as he uprooted one of his grass plants and moved it to under the wooden structure where he proceeded to 'replant' it - in Rajy style (not deep enough) and water it with a bottle! It was fascinating to watch as he kept removing it, clearing the sawdust by digging with a stick and packing it in - he sat staring at it as if he knew something wasn't right! Don't think Alan Titchmarsh has anything to worry about at the moment!!
He must have been watching the gardeners. They need to put in more plants to keep one step ahead of him! Or give him even more enrichment by providing a trowel, a watering can and lots of pots of seedlings
Incredible! Could be a zoo star!
BTW - maybe zoo should plant the grass where Rajah likes it?
Or maybe they should just give Rajang a whole lot of plants, including grass, bamboo clumps etc and let him plant it all out himself.....
And while he's about it, get him to put some more climbing equipment up outside too....
karenZOO
Well-Known Member
They do put on a good do at Colchester we went to the adopters day and were impressed!
Aww that Rajy is a genius no ends to his talents
What better enrichment do they need to give him other than than plants to plant! oh and a wheelbarrow that would be so funny
oh and a potting shed
I have watched him spend ages filling his bucket with chippings only to empty them elsewhere and re-arrange them then start all over again, he likes to keep busy and the look of concerntration on his face is beautiful
Aww that Rajy is a genius no ends to his talents
What better enrichment do they need to give him other than than plants to plant! oh and a wheelbarrow that would be so funny
oh and a potting shed I have watched him spend ages filling his bucket with chippings only to empty them elsewhere and re-arrange them then start all over again, he likes to keep busy and the look of concerntration on his face is beautiful
They do put on a good do at Colchester we went to the adopters day and were impressed!
Aww that Rajy is a genius no ends to his talents
What better enrichment do they need to give him other than than plants to plant! oh and a wheelbarrow that would be so funny
I have watched him spend ages filling his bucket with chippings only to empty them elsewhere and re-arrange them then start all over again, he likes to keep busy and the look of concerntration on his face is beautiful
Yes, it was a really good evening, we both thoroughly enjoyed it - didn't know what to expect but it wasn't disappointing in any way. All the keepers were there, Jez the trainer lead our group, they all sat with us at the buffet, which was lovely - just a great night. There were some great stuff on auction - I'm kicking myself now for not going after them - one off experiences - I wasn't really up to scratch with the auctioning lark!!
Yep, I know what you mean re the concentration of Rajy, he was sat there staring at the half-planted grass clump, with coke bottle in hand, as if he was waiting for it to grow!! He seemed to know it wasn't quite right - ie. not in deep enough! LOL. As you say, he's always up to something, he was so comical, dragging the plant and root ball across the enclosure to his newly picked place!!! I could see him with a barrow and dungarees on with tools in tow!! LOL. He's a star! I decided to book the keeper's shadowing experience for 1/2 hour - where you put his food in the enclosure etc. Just hope the procedure doesn't change (which we have watched someone do every time we go) now that Tiga is in there too.
Or maybe they should just give Rajang a whole lot of plants, including grass, bamboo clumps etc and let him plant it all out himself.....
And while he's about it, get him to put some more climbing equipment up outside too....
I'm quite sure he would have ago at the planting bit - might take a bit of time to complete though considering the amount of thought and attempts he seemed to be applying to just one plant!!!
He was soon distracted too when it was feeding time so I imagine he would have a lot of tea breaks!
karenZOO
Well-Known Member
They have put up a very short video of Tiga in the outside area
Colchester Zoo News: Tiga the orangutan has arrived!
That would be interesting to actually go inside and get a perspective on size and what it is like to have hundreds of people staring at you for a change through the glass
When I looked round before it was completed they wouldnt let us go in it lol as they were still finishing it off tut health & safety
Colchester Zoo News: Tiga the orangutan has arrived!
That would be interesting to actually go inside and get a perspective on size and what it is like to have hundreds of people staring at you for a change through the glass
When I looked round before it was completed they wouldnt let us go in it lol as they were still finishing it off
tut health & safety
karenZOO
Well-Known Member
Updated info from Colchester website
Visitors to Colchester Zoo can now come and see Tiga the Bornean orangutan in the Orangutan Forest! Tiga arrived on the 25th June from Twycross Zoo, and is settling well in his new home.
Tiga will be a companion for Rajang, Colchester Zoo’s resident 41 year old male orangutan, and hopefully will become a breeding male in the future when he matures. He is nearly 8 years old and is very active with a cheeky personality, and is already attracting plenty of attention from visitors as he explores his new home!
Initially, the two orangutans will be kept separately, but will be gradually introduced after several weeks under the watchful eyes of Colchester Zoo’s team of primate keepers.
After the sad loss of Djambe, Rajang’s female companion last year, we are delighted that there will once again be two orangutans in Colchester Zoo’s fantastic new development, Orangutan Forest.
Bornean orangutans, along with the slightly smaller Sumatran orangutan, are the only great apes native to Asia, and both species are highly endangered in the wild, with experts predicting that orangutans could be extinct in the wild as early as 2015.
Colchester Zoo’s charity, Action for the Wild, supports the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation and in order to celebrate the construction of a the new Orangutan Forest enclosure at Colchester Zoo, Action for the Wild donated £5,000 in 2007 and are continuing to support this worthy cause in 2009.
Visitors to Colchester Zoo can now come and see Tiga the Bornean orangutan in the Orangutan Forest! Tiga arrived on the 25th June from Twycross Zoo, and is settling well in his new home.
Tiga will be a companion for Rajang, Colchester Zoo’s resident 41 year old male orangutan, and hopefully will become a breeding male in the future when he matures. He is nearly 8 years old and is very active with a cheeky personality, and is already attracting plenty of attention from visitors as he explores his new home!
Initially, the two orangutans will be kept separately, but will be gradually introduced after several weeks under the watchful eyes of Colchester Zoo’s team of primate keepers.
After the sad loss of Djambe, Rajang’s female companion last year, we are delighted that there will once again be two orangutans in Colchester Zoo’s fantastic new development, Orangutan Forest.
Bornean orangutans, along with the slightly smaller Sumatran orangutan, are the only great apes native to Asia, and both species are highly endangered in the wild, with experts predicting that orangutans could be extinct in the wild as early as 2015.
Colchester Zoo’s charity, Action for the Wild, supports the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation and in order to celebrate the construction of a the new Orangutan Forest enclosure at Colchester Zoo, Action for the Wild donated £5,000 in 2007 and are continuing to support this worthy cause in 2009.