Lots of interesting ideas here. I like a sort of combination of them. I would move the female and infant Bornean orangs into the enclosures used by the Sumatrans at the moment, I think the gibbons could stay if required. I think they would need to have both of the big outdoor exhibits because there could be more babies in a few years time (they might even be on the way by the time Islands is completed). If all goes well, Iznee will eventually be moved on, but by the time he goes Tuan will be quite old and the Zoo may need to accommodate another male. Having watched Sarikei and Leia co-operating to uproot a substantial shrub, I think that both planted exhibits will need to be available for the orangs to allow some recovery time for the vegetation.
I would modify the first of the netted enclosures for Tuan, but keep his indoor accommodation and night den off-show in the old Ape House, where the Bornean females are now. The other netted enclosure could be for him too; or if some indoor housing could be added it might suit a monkey species, I think that silvered leaf monkeys would be suitable as they are also from Borneo and would be easier to source and keep than Proboscis monkeys (I don't recall any langur/colobus leaf-eating monkeys kept at Chester before).
I like the idea of sun bears, they could have indoor housing in the middle of the old house and a paddock between the two ramps, including both the current babirusa & otter enclosure and the lawn in front of it.
Then the last compartment of the old house and the old orang island could become an indoor-outdoor aviary - obviously with a net over the island. I imagine a new entrance for the public through the wall more or less opposite the corner of the chimp island with a sloping ramp up to a right hand turn to meet the old walkway, giving tree-top level viewing of the aviary inside and out. I'd be tempted to construct a large vivarium for the reticulated pythons there as well and viewing through glass into the sun bears den too. I do agree with SMR on the value of removing some or all of the vivariums and aviaries in RotRA. The aviary would be for Bornean birds of course, the Zoo has quite a few already - roulroul partridges, fairy bluebirds, Asian glossy starlings, pied imperial pigeons and Nicobar pigeons, but I would add wandering whistling ducks (full-winged, they could swim in the moat and indoor pool, which I would keep), hooded pittas and, if possible, a pair of great argus pheasants to add to the spectacle. How's that for a Borneo exhibit?
Alan
