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mhale

Rajang the Orangutan in Orangutan Forest outdoor exhibit at Colchester Zoo,

Rajang the Orangutan in Orangutan Forest outdoor exhibit at Colchester Zoo,
mhale, 15 Feb 2009
    • snowleopard
    • gentle lemur
      It does look very ugly. But it is far better than the accommodation that the orangs had before: there is much more space and equipment for climbing - although I'm not sure how much use old Rajang will make of it.

      Alan
    • Pertinax
      I certainly agree- I wasn't expecting something like this enclosure- its about the ugliest I've ever seen. Colchester have a lot of concrete-type enclosures but this is pretty awful, though larger than I first thought.

      Woodland Park's looks great- simple and natural, as is Paignton's here in the UK, where the Orangs can climb natural trees.
    • Gigit
      No doubt Rajang is pleased with it, but Paignton's orangs would be horrified.
    • snowleopard
      I've said it before but I'll say it again: this exhibit is an ugly travesty and an abomination to zoos all over the world. Even if some individuals argue that it is good for the apes (really???) the vantage points for visitors are horrendous. Is there viewing from the far side of the enclosure or can the orangs only be seen from this camera angle? If so then they must be difficult to spot amongst the fake rocks and wooden platforms. Brutal.
    • mhale
      I can confirm that this is the only vantage point for visitors to view the orangs outdoors. There is no other access. As you suggest, snowleopard, it could be difficult to spot the orangs in the enclosure. Rajang was at the back, alongside a platform, and I didn't spot him at first.

      From the general public's point of view, the viewing windows are directly level with the top part of the indoor enclosure, so younger visitors will presumably have some difficulty seeing unless the orangs have climbed up onto the platforms. I have never seen another outdoor orang enclosure where the visitors are looking down from such a height.
    • camel leopard
      It can hardly be called a forest more like a forest just been choped down!
    • Dan
      I have followed the debate on the new orang exhibit with great interest. Does anybody have any pictures of the old exhibit to upload? Did that one only have indoor enclosures?
    • James27
      I don't sorry Dan, but the more I look at this the more I realise how little thought has been put into it, I think the Twycross Orang exhibit could give this one a run for it's money! It's not even that big, they'd have been better to put a cage roof over it, that would give him more space and climbing potential.
    • Zambar
      Unless they're trying to show the effects of deforestation, I can happilly agree with everyone that it's an embarrasing waste into an ugly, ugly enclosure.
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  • Category:
    Colchester Zoo
    Uploaded By:
    mhale
    Date:
    15 Feb 2009
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    Comment Count:
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