Chester Zoo More news at Chester
- Thread starter Writhedhornbill
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You'll usually find the keepers(if you can find them that is) at any zoo are generally a more reliable source of up to date information than 'officialdom' who are sometimes reluctant to divulge information as they don't know who is asking the questions(e.g. it could be someone from the press or anti-zoo people who might use it against them.)
Sumatran x Bornean
1968 1.0 Rajang currently at Colchester, the first orang utan to be born at Chester
Bornean Orang Utan
1974 0.1 Judi
1976 1.0 Sibu
1977 1.0 Karau
1978 1.0 Datu
1980 0.1 Bella
1983 1.1 ?/Sarieki
1989 0.1 Pundu
1994 0.1 Maliku
1995 2.0 Jorong, Matu
1996 1.1 ?/Leila
1999 1.0 Bengara
Sumatran Orang Utan
1983 1.0 Sidney
1984 0.1 DNS
1985 1.0 Douglas
1986 0.1 Subis
1987 0.1 Emma
1998 1.1 Padang, Jambi
2004 1.1 names unknown
2008 0.1 name unknown
25 born, 24 reared.
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Writhedhornbill
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The 2008 birth was to Emma and Puluh, her name is Indah, the indonesian word for beautiful.
Thanks for the list Rob, I didn't know Sibu (one of My favourite orangs) was born at Chester.
Thanks for the list Rob, I didn't know Sibu (one of My favourite orangs) was born at Chester.
Sibu.
Not only was Sibu born at Chester but Martha is his mother, and the other two females closely related to him(sister and half sister from memory)
I think you'll find he will not stay at Chester longterm as Bongorob has reported that the intention is to pair him with an (unrelated) female and move him out again. He needs very strong housing as he started to take his cage apart in Barcelona before moving to Apenheul. At Apenheul he apparently showed no interest in breeding... I'm not sure anywhere in the UK have adequate housing to take him at present, apart from possibly Colchester's new display, and I think they want Sumatrans, not a Bornean pair..
Not only was Sibu born at Chester but Martha is his mother, and the other two females closely related to him(sister and half sister from memory)
I think you'll find he will not stay at Chester longterm as Bongorob has reported that the intention is to pair him with an (unrelated) female and move him out again. He needs very strong housing as he started to take his cage apart in Barcelona before moving to Apenheul. At Apenheul he apparently showed no interest in breeding... I'm not sure anywhere in the UK have adequate housing to take him at present, apart from possibly Colchester's new display, and I think they want Sumatrans, not a Bornean pair..
dragon(ele)nerd
Well-Known Member
Seems like most zoos want sumatrans, i don't blame them they need way more help.
The odd thing is that in UK there are far more Borneans, while in Europe there are more Sumatrans.
In Uk the only zoos with Sumatrans currently are Chester and Jersey. Colchester also have a single female 'Djambe' (who was the last Sumatran at Twycross where she was imported to) living with the hybrid 'Rajang' and they've applied for an additional pair of Sumatrans so maybe she will be allowed to breed also.
taun
Well-Known Member
Now thats an interesting fact. I suppose chester want to keep both species to highlight both plights.
It will be interesting to see when the second phase is completed whether they will be more active. The sumatrans in my view are more active in their new home (they were quite active in the old house) with the added room in height.
dragon(ele)nerd
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In Australia the zoos have sumatrans but one teacher at our school demands that the orangs at Melbourne are from Kalimintan, i wish i could show him that they are Sumatran. I read as well that many zoos in America keep Sumatrans as well, then agian i could be wrong so many other zoos out there.
Based on the apperances of the the different species i try to speculate what Rajang might look like, i've heard about him from many places but no good photos have you got any?
Thanks CZJimmy, and also Writhed Hornbill. I'm sure I had the names somewhere.
Now does anyone know the names of the male Borneans born in 1983 and 1996. Would the latter be Banghai?
The former (I983) would be 'Banghi'. He was born at Chester to two parents both on loan(Anak xTwiggy) Twiggy was sent to Twycross but must have spent some time at Chester for mating and then stayed on (unless the parentage is incorrect).
Banghi was later sent to Monkeyworld ,Dorset as a companion for their young female 'Amy'. He fathered one baby 'Gordon' who still lives there. Sadly he died soon after developing his 'pads' as a fullygrown male.
I'm unable to trace a 1996 birth...
There were formerly a few more Sumatrans in Uk- at Bristol & Twycross, but still very much in the minority in this country. Chester's two breeding females Emma & Subis are the daughters of a male ('Oscar') who was born at Bristol.
The two species really are very different if you study them closely. Sumatrans are more energetic and 'nervous' while Borneans are more phlegmatic and sluggish. I doubt the new enclosures will change their behaviour much at Chester- it is really part of their make-up.
I have text from a guidebook from Philadelphia Zoo in the 1930's- they kept and bred both 'subspecies' and even as far back then they noticed the differences, describing the Sumatrans as 'almost as active as chimpanzees...'
Good photos. 'Rajang' displays the typical characteristics of most hybrid males.
1. His pads are covered with the short hairs characteristic of a Sumatran, they are not comprised of bare skin covered in 'goose pimples' as in a Bornean. They are not as heavily haired as a pure Sumatran though.
2. His coat resembles the lighter 'butterscotch' tint of the Sumatran.
3.His face shape, pads and dewlap are more reminiscent of the heavier Bornean male, and so is the small 'ginger' beard. Rajang is also about midway in heaviness of build between the two.
Hybrids nearly always display this blend of mixed characteristics.
dragon(ele)nerd
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the photos jimmy, and Pertinax might i ask do most hybrids show this gene i guess they would, but would it make a difference if the parents were swaped around. I mean is there a more ressicive gene through the subspecies gender?
I'm not too hot with genetics. All I can say is I've seen a number of hybrid Orangutans and which parent is Bornean or Sumatran makes no difference to the offspring that I can see. Each hybrid differs in appearance obviously but they are all usually, like Rajang, a straight mix of characteristics of the two species. Rajang used to have a female hybrid companion called 'Annie' who was born in America. She had a darker maroon-coloured coat like a Bornean, but with a more Sumatran-looking face with a pale beard.
To refer to the Melbourne Orangutans. They're definately not from Kalimantan. The breeding pair and young are Sumatran. There were also one or two hybrids born in the past and still living there- have a close look at it/them and you may see the different characteristics.
dragon(ele)nerd
Well-Known Member
I'll check up on the orangs next time i go there my best bet though would probably be the oldest female, she has many features of the two subspecies. I forgot her name though.
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