Orang Utan Forest » Colchester Zoo

14-08-2008

Jersey do not need a young male.

Monkey World have no Sumatran Orangutans and so not suitable either (unless they added a female partner for him)

14-08-2008

When I went on a school trip 2 colchester we went on a double decker bus so i was able 2 see in the orangutan forest- it still looked as if there was lots of work 2 b done (the trip was on 17th July)

15-08-2008

havent you heard that the one at monkey world passed away, im still preety sure that monkey world would accept s. orangs as they are soon to build more facilities for both chimps and orangs

who knows!

15-08-2008

Wouldn't those facilities be built to accomodate more Borneans from the centre in S.E. Asia where some of the females came from?

15-08-2008

... which means they have no Sumatran Orangs....

15-08-2008

Chester do have alot of space in the new enclosure to potentially keep hold of him for a few more years and even more room when phase two is complete

15-08-2008

Yes. I reckon he will only leave if he's needed as a breeder by another zoo- that's why I mentioned Colchester as being a possible home. Its not that Chester need to get rid of him yet but he is already old enough to breed now. He's a fine little male too..

15-08-2008

The young male Sumatran orang at Monkeyworld - I cannot remember his name now -died after being injured overnight after being introduced to some of the adult orangs -it was on 'Monkey Life' . A real shame , he looked to be quite a character .

15-08-2008

He was called Aris and was there as part of Monkey world being the european crech for baby orangutans being hand reared.

15-08-2008

I doubt they will be doing that with another baby too soon, at least not with Gordon...

15-08-2008

Hasn't Gordon been moved out of the Nursery now? He has his own group of females now.

15-08-2008

Gordon is long past nursery age- he's a subadult now. I may be wrong here but wasn't it Gordon who injured Aris? Maybe they had put him into that group?

15-08-2008

yes it was sadly, and heres the funnt thing, gordons mum is expecting a baby in september BUT the only male she has mixed with is gordon, and people have been saying hes going to be the father? is this legally possible?

i thought inbreeding was a strong no no in zoos?

15-08-2008

yes but mistakes happen. With Orangutans, the males can be fertile at a very young age- even six years. Gordon was handraised so doesn't know Amy is his mother, not that that would make any difference, he would still mate her anyway- Paignton had a 'surprise' baby born to their old female and the father was her 6/7 year old son. They didn't realise what could happen keeping them together.

Inbreeding isn't normally harmful in one generation but can be if allowed repeatedly. Mind you, most zoos do try to avoid it at all.

15-08-2008

yes what i thought, well we will hopfully find out when the baby is born, maybe this time she will raise it herself