What is the best orangutan exhibit?

Best orangutan exhibit?

  • Total voters
    33
Pertinax said:
I saw Singapore's some years ago- not overly impressed as it was(then) concrete(or at any rate a hard surface)) though it may have changed a lot since? I think 20 orangs is too many as I think quite a number of these must be living together which isn't natural for them. I don't think 'contact sessions' with visitors is necessarily good for the animals either. There is(or was) also something advertised as 'breakfast with an Orangutan' which sounds like a commercial venture in which one or more of the apes take part. It used to be the female 'Ah-meh'.
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When did you visit? As far back as I can remember (1980s), the Singapore Zoo has displayed its orangs on a grass-covered island. There are small areas of hard ground, but they take up only a small fraction of the island. Since about 5 years ago, in addition to the island exhibit, 3 more orang exhibits have opened - 2 "free-ranging areas" and a large enclosed cage. The free-ranging areas are one of the few zoo exhibits in the world that give orangs access to live trees.

With 4 exhibits and several off-exhibit dens, the 24 or so orangs are divided into groups of no more than 6 at any time. Some research points to orangs being naturally sociable animals (save for adult males) but conditions in the wild don't allow them to congregate in large numbers.

Contact sessions have ceased since the mid-2000s. The orangs are still brought out close to the public for photo opportunities, but no physical contact is allowed.

Breakfast with Orangs has been around since the 1980s and is still offered. I agree its intent is commercial, but it doesn't harm or demean the orangs in any way. Contrary to its title, the orangs don't sit at a table and sip from teacups. They stay on a raised wooden platform next to the breakfast lounge where they consume their own food.

The gallery has several photos of the orang exhibits:
http://www.zoochat.com/40/singapore-zoo-2008-keeper-observes-his-133192/
http://www.zoochat.com/40/singapore-zoo-2008-bornean-orangutan-island-133189/
http://www.zoochat.com/40/singapore-zoo-2008-boardwalk-bornean-orangutan-133190/
 
Zooish said:
When did you visit? As far back as I can remember (1980s), the Singapore Zoo has displayed its orangs on a grass-covered island.
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It has changed a lot since I saw it circa 1990. But I am sure it was mainly concrete-floored at that time.:confused: I remember a lot of Orangutans in quite a small area then. From the photos it has obviously been enlarged and upgraded a lot since that time and I can see why it could well be a contender for best exhibit now.
 
I've only seen two of those listed -- San Diego's and Woodland Park's.

Woodland Park has a very natural looking enclosure, with plenty of climbing opportunities. Plus, two indoor dens for... whenever they want or when the weather's bad.

The theming is done exceptionally well, as are the educational signs and information.

San Diego's is positively massive in size, but the giant metal climbing apparatus diminishes some of the appeal. Surely, a zoo of San Diego's caliber can at least build a structure out of wood? And while they don't inhabit the same regions, the siamangs are a nice addition.

That said, if San Diego could turn that exhibit into a mini-Boreneon forest, it could be a world beater.

Singapore's looks great from pictures, but based on personal visits I would give the nod to Woodland Park.
 
I think that you first have to define what you consider to be a good orang enclosure before ratign them. Considering that orangs are species that live most of the time solitary, a zoo that has only one outside enclosure and/or only one inside "show-cage" already cannot be in this list. This is the case with Leipzig. That enclosure was only build for the visitors, and is rather poor for the gorillas, chimps and orangs (a bit better for the bonobos, with two inside cages). Apenheul has the flexibility, with four enclosures, as has Chester. I think that Prague has only one enclosure? And Jersey also?
Singapore has outside now a very good enclosure,, but I do not know where they put them at night.
 
Singapore zoo wins hands down.

Huge island with climbing apparatus, which was further extended by pulling ropes to many surrounding tall trees (often over public paths). Trunks of the trees are protected by electrified fence and orangutans seem unwilling to climb down. And the cost was fraction of those concrete-metal structures.

One of exhibits which you only wonder why other zoos are so backwards and did not copy this design years ago? Zoos building/renovating exhibits for orangutans should think about positioning their exhibits next to existing tall trees and give the orangutans ability to climb them at least part of the time..
 
Jurek7 said:
Zoos building/,renovating exhibits for orangutans should think about positioning their exhibits next to existing tall trees and give the orangutans ability to climb them at least part of the time..
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Very good idea. Its really the only way to display these animals in a suitable setting- the traditional methods- grottoes/metal framed climbing equipment,/concrete cages/simple islands etc are all unsuitable in so many ways.

The only problem is wear and tear/damage to the trees but if enough were made available and they are only using them part time, it should be kept under control.
 
Jurek7 said:
Singapore zoo wins hands down.

Huge island with climbing apparatus, which was further extended by pulling ropes to many surrounding tall trees (often over public paths). Trunks of the trees are protected by electrified fence and orangutans seem unwilling to climb down. And the cost was fraction of those concrete-metal structures.

One of exhibits which you only wonder why other zoos are so backwards and did not copy this design years ago? Zoos building/renovating exhibits for orangutans should think about positioning their exhibits next to existing tall trees and give the orangutans ability to climb them at least part of the time..
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Safety of visitors is probably an issue for most zoos. Singapore's orangutans (females and juvenile males, which are the only ones allowed out on the hotwired live trees) are managed using free contact. Even if the orangutans were to escape, which is absolutely possible and has happened before in Singapore Zoo, there is very little risk of them hurting visitors. Few other zoos would be prepared to accept that risk.
 
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Pertinax said:
Very good idea. Its really the only way to display these animals in a suitable setting- the traditional methods- grottoes/metal framed climbing equipment,/concrete cages/simple islands etc are all unsuitable in so many ways.

The only problem is wear and tear/damage to the trees but if enough were made available and they are only using them part time, it should be kept under control.
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And they must be the correct trees: non-toxic, strong resilient wood, big enough to resist breaking by orangs. So in addition to the lack of will on the part of zoos, few would really have the suitable situation.
 
Frankfurt Zoo has the best indoor, Leipzig the best outdoor exhibit I have ever seen.
 
I think orangutans do most damage building sleeping nests every evening. Singapore orangutans are, I think, lured by their evening meal and closed at night.

They also seemed to move only along thick branches and ropes. This is what I noticed on primates before - they prefer artifical supports. Primates prefer climbing safely - they also can fall from trees, break limbs or die, this happens to them in the wild.

Zoo Rheinen in Netherlands also have orangutans climbing between wooden poles standing in the visitors area, with the bases protected by hotwire. But they are just artifical poles, not trees. Zoo Washington has orangutans crossing over the visitor area, but between two enclosed exhibits.

Orangutans on live trees but on moated islands are at least in Leipzig (where they are not closed at evening and destroyed most trees already) and in Rostock (very new exhibit).
 
BjoernN said:
Frankfurt Zoo has the best indoor, Leipzig the best outdoor exhibit I have ever seen.
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as Leipzig has only one island, I could hardly call this a good outside enclosure for orangs. But it is nice to have trees.

The island at Apenheul do not look nice, but the idea is good. Four islands, that can be connected. Species can live solitary on some days and still go out, and the keepers change a lot the combinations of animals during the week. They try to react on the wishes of the animals.
 
Jurek7 said:
Rhenen, sorry my mistake. A less known zoo with several innovative exhibits. Others include forest for brown bears, grassy polar bear paddock, aviary with cormorants and common seals. And some I forgot probably.
Ouwehands Dierenpark Rhenen - Homepage - Parksite_Home_EN
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Thank-you, Jurek7! It is interesting.
http://www.zoochat.com/166/ouwehand-rhenen-nl-orang-utan-34345/

Also
Zoo in beeld - Ouwehands dierenpark
http://plzcdn.com/ZillaIMG/6975e3fb14eb72a8082101d55c2f7ce0.jpg
 
Tierpark Hagenbeck [Hamburg] built a new Orang house in 2004; It has the WOW factor .
One enclosure with a glazed roof that rotates open in nice weather,a moat seperates the Orangs from the public. I saw it wth the dome closed in the early morning and opened later. Sleeping dens are offshow.
 
In the old Ape house at Chester in the early 60's,Jimmy the larger male used to regularly wade out from his iisland ,earthing out the electric fence with bulrushes and stand amongst the public until Ziggy the ape keeper chased him back. Water moats are fine if designed properly.
 
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