Apenheul - Orangutan islands

Three of the five islands for bornean rangutans in Apenheul, the Netherlands. Lots of climbing frames.
July 2008

This picture is dedicated to snowleopard because it shows and orangutan NOT on the ground

He'll be pleased to see it.

wow, these islands look great for the orangs.

Thanks for the photo Toddy...lol. These islands seem like they would force the orangs off the ground on a consistent basis, and there are a ton of climbing opportunities!

Snowleopard, I said the exact same thing to Dan in a comment on another photo of these islands. He commented on the size of the islands and I pointed out that there is a lot of vertical space for the Orangs to use, which must be more beneficial than having more flat ground.

CZJimmy,I have come to completely change my mind about this exhibit, see my latest post on
http://www.zoochat.com/159/apenheul-orangutan-islands-50817/

It is a great concept, indeed.

I saw this exhibit when it was so brand new the Orangutans were still confined indoors and had not been allowed out yet. It looks even better now. At the time I noted how they had planned it to utilise vertical space and thereby keep the Orangutans off the ground as much as possible. It does seem to have worked too.... I would rate it as excellent from these photos.

I like the nets. I think Chester could copy those in the outdoor open enclosures, where the orangs don't climb nearly as much as they do indoors.

Alan

At Chester the outdoor climbing equipment is nowhere near as complex and interlinked as this is. I'm sure that is why the animals don't use it as much as the indoor areas, which are more 'travel friendly' for the inhabitants(sumatrans anyway).