Orang Utan Forest » Colchester Zoo

17-08-2008

they dont have two enclosures next to each other!

17-08-2008

ok thanks, and the monkey world site is soo out of date, the current group is amy, gordon, and some other feamle along with baby kai and his mum

and then the rest with tuan.

and it was gordon who attacked aris for definite cos my friend was there when it happened sadly

17-08-2008

This IS a Colchester thread!!!!!!!!!!

17-08-2008

I've revamped the Monkey World thread for any more talk on their Orangutans... if anyone has any news about the completion of Colchester's exhibit or new animals being added to it...please add here...

17-08-2008

sorry kiang

13-09-2008

Just 2 let u all know the eindoor enclosure is opening beginning of october and the outdoor area ready by Easter 2009- saays on website!

13-09-2008

thats good news, it way over the expected opening date now!

13-09-2008

thats good news, it way over the expected opening date now!

13-09-2008

I am going to Colchester on Saturday for their Adopters day, I adopt Rajang (the best orang utan in the country!!) and have asked them as we are having a behind the scenes tour to see the new enclosure!

Obviously he was supposed to have moved in at Easter so im hoping a tour will be available but not had a reply yet!!

14-09-2008

If you do, see if you can get some snaps, please. I very interested to see what it is going to look like.

16-09-2008

Hi

I will do if I get a look!

There is new picture and video on colchester zoo site of the new enclosure!

You can really get an idea of the height of it! Altho I cant imagine Rajang climbing 10 metres lol

16-09-2008

I wil check that out later.

You might be surprised there, certainely Chester zoos orangutans are more active sinc RORA.

16-09-2008

wow it bigger than i expected and looking good too! shame i live to far away for a day visit

16-09-2008

I have just checked the Video out myself, doesn't seem that much room of the building is going to be devoted to the Oranguntans??

Or is it just the poor camera angles? I hope karenZoo can confirm this for us, I gather its a massive improvement on there old enclosure?

Do we know what will happen to the old orangutan enclosure?

16-09-2008

Plan for old enclosure land!

Colchester Zoo reveals plans for its latest multi-million pound development!

Colchester Zoo is putting together plans to apply for permission for its latest multi million pound development. It is hoped that the new exhibit will be a truly immersive, two storey tropical house which will not only give visitors the chance to get much closer to nature, but it will also give Colchester Zoo the opportunity to support and protect a number of new species to Colchester Zoo.

This comes as Orangutan Forest, Colchester Zoo’s £1.75 million pound enclosure is finally reaching completion after three years of development. Plans are to be submitted for the development of the site for the new complex which will be where the existing Orangutan and Lar Gibbon enclosures currently stand and will also incorporate the area behind, where the Encounters Marquee used to be and the area presently known as Parrot Rock. It is hoped that this huge area is to become a brand new tropical walkthrough exhibit which will give Colchester Zoo the room to house over five new species to Colchester Zoo, including a brand new and endangered species of crocodile.

The plans will propose that it will be spread over two floors and will hopefully incorporate an underwater viewing tunnel in which visitors will be able to see crocodiles swim and feed above their heads, before coming out to see them basking around their outdoor pool on their heated rocks, through three metre glass windows.

On the second floor there will be an immersive tropical rainforest exhibit which visitors will be able to walk through whilst reptiles, snakes and tamarins surround them and birds fly over head. It is hoped that this new exhibit will also house a family of Buffy-headed Capuchins – a critically endangered primate that is supported by Colchester Zoo’s charity Action for the Wild.

One of the most important and exciting aspects of this new development will be the fact that Colchester Zoo will be able to support the conservation of over five endangered or critically endangered species which are not currently housed within the collection. Many of these species will belong to European Breeding programmes that have been developed to help protect the future of these species and there will be wonderful new opportunities to educate visitors on the plight of the New World and to highlight the level of destruction that is being caused to these animals’ habitats.

This new state of the art complex will be at the forefront of modern zoo design and will be one of Colchester Zoo’s most impressive exhibits to date. Work is expected to start in the Autumn of 2008 and it is hoped that it will be completed by late 2010. It is thought that it will cost over £2 million pounds to create.

All of these plans are subject to planning permission.