I don’t really feel like I can even write a proper review of the Ragunan Zoo because there were so many people there and I’m sure I missed much of the exhibits, but here goes. It was Sunday and this seems to be the day of the week that the Jakartans go to the zoo. I don’t think its an exaggeration to say there were tens of thousands of people there. Anywhere in the zoo in any direction you turned, there were at least a couple of hundred people in your direct line of sight. Almost every enclosure was completely ringed with visitors. It was insane. I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere with that number of people in one place at one time. It also seemed that most of them were there simply as a place to go and have a picnic. It was rather like what I imagine Woodstock must have looked like, with masses of people just sitting round on blankets surrounded by the detritus of their lunches. The zoo itself wasn’t too bad, although I did feel like most of my time there was spent wandering round looking for where the animals were. It appeared that the centre of the zoo was given over to areas for people to just gather, with the enclosures scattered round the edges, and as there were a confusion of paths to follow and no maps I didn’t know where anything was. I’m sure I missed a lot of stuff there (I know I missed the anoa, giraffe, zebra and bears because I saw the signs but couldn’t find the enclosures). Still, what I did see was relatively good, including a number of species I hadn’t seen before like the Bawean hog deer and New Guinea eagle. The animals in paddocks had quite a bit of space (more than their equivalents at Singapore!) but then there were random clusters of horrible concrete-and-bars cages for things like primates and birds. The elephants as everywhere did not have anywhere near enough room (there were several elephant enclosures, each with one or two individuals, as well as one being used for rides). In the middle of the zoo is the Schumutzer Primate Centre which has an additional entry fee but its well worth it. There are guards on the entrance who check every bag of every visitor to make sure they don’t have fruit or other food, or cigarettes. Its such a contrast to the normal situation in Asian zoos. The gorilla enclosure is fantastic (although I didn’t actually see any gorillas), and is viewable from ground-level and from an elevated walkway. It really looks like a lot of money has been spent on it. At least one of the gorillas here came from Howlett’s in the UK. The other primate enclosures here are mostly just alright – not bad but not great. The macaque cages are very nicely done though, with glass fronts for viewing and very high mesh roofs. Species at the Centre include a large number of gibbons (including Javan, Bornean and Kloss’), several of the Sulawesi macaques, chimps, orangutans, and a number of the southeast Asian leaf monkeys. Near the entrance are a couple of small moated enclosures for a species which is one of last I’d have expected to see (or not see as it happened) on an island exhibit -- slow lorises! Rather in the opposite direction in terms of primate exhibitry are the cages in the Ragunan Zoo. Smallish, bare and a bit dark with little for the inhabitants to do but beg for food from the visitors. Again a large number of gibbons are on display, including Javans, as well as many leaf monkeys and macaques, proboscis monkeys, and some foreign ones like capuchins. Every species at the zoo appears to get food thrown at it by the public, from the tapirs to the Komodo dragons. I found it difficult to get any good photos of the maleo because as soon as it realized I was there it came right up to the wire to get some food. The reptile enclosures are quite spacious and being glass-fronted don’t suffer from thrown food items. The bird aviaries are constructed in very Victorian sort of rows but they are quite large if somewhat bare. The bulk of the species are parrots and pheasants and birds of prey, including several rare ones like the New Guinea eagle and Javan hawk eagle. There are also quite a few hornbills and various pigeon species. Unless I missed them (which could be likely) there didn’t seem to be much in the way of small mammals apart for binturongs. To sum up, the Schumutzer Primate Centre is very good and well worth a visit, especially for the rare species in there. The Ragunan Zoo is a mix of good largish paddocks, large but ugly aviaries, smallish and ugly primate cages, and various other average enclosures. Its not a terrible zoo, and certainly is a lot better than probably most other Indonesian zoos. Just don’t go there on a weekend! Photos to come in a couple of months….
Thank you for that Now it is interesting that you say you did not see the Gorillas. Another (private) source said they had not been seen for months and that the outside enclosure was considerably overgrown. So where are they?
photos from Ragunan Zoo now in the gallery Ragunan Zoo Gallery including a couple of the gorilla enclosure at the Schmutzer Primate Centre and (not very good) ones of Javan hawk-eagle, New Guinea harpy eagle, and maleo
a day might be enough. It is large and confusing though. And because it is so jolly hot in Jakarta you might want to break the visit in two anyway. Like I said above, don't go on a weekend or public holiday!! I just found a map of the zoo by the way, here: The Jakarta Free Spirit Running Club Oh, and if you're going to the Taman Mini Indonesia park, go earlier in the day rather than later. The bird park there closed early on my visit (about 2pm I think it closed on that day) so I missed it
