This is just a bit of fun to judge the general consensus on the best enclosure for Sumatran Orangutans in the UK. Then there can be a head to head with the best Bornean and Sumatran exhibits. I have added a few photos from the gallery to make it easier for members to compare the different exhibits. If anyone wants to make an argument for a particular enclosure, please feel free to do so. Also, I would encourage people to perhaps list the 3 enclosures in order of what they determine to be the best. Chester Jersey Monkey World I was unable to find any photos of the Sumatran exhibit. However, those who have visited may be able to give a better indication of the quality and whether it is similar to the Borneans.
Monkey world just have (I believe) one Sumatran who just lives in with the Bornean orangs. In my opinion Chesters is the best.
Chester's Sumatran enclosure is (maybe should be 'was' currently because of the fire) excellent, apart from indoor viewing for the public - two large outdoor areas and lots of climbing opportunities. But I think Jersey is even more excellent! Two large, high indoor enclosures and two long islands with climbing facilities, all easily viewable. As stated above, Monkeyworld doesn't have separate Sumatran accommodation. They have 2.1 Sumatrans at the moment, brought in for hand-rearing to the Nursery, which they operate on behalf of the EEP. Nursery youngsters, Bornean or Sumatran, usually move on to other zoos when they are old enough.
If you had narrowly escaped been burnt to death in a building would you want to be moved back in to the same building!
If they don't move back to the Monsoon Forest, it will leave some pretty big purpose built enclosures needing some other inhabitants. I wondervwhat could fill them?
I think where Jersey scores over Chester is in those three words 'all easily viewable'. I like the fact the indoors and outside islands at Jersey connect simply so if the animals move from one to the other you can still view them easily. At Chester the design of the Monsoon Forest enclosures mean you have to walk considerable distances between indoors and outside. I don't like the limited viewing of the windows in the rock walls at Chester much either, Jersey's simple 'open' moated islands are a much better design I think..Although Jersey's exhibit is older, its better IMO.
Hadn't considered that. I am sure the Sumatrans won't have any long term trauma from the event though?
I'm not sure either to be fair, but having both species gives them an easy way not to have to test it if they feel there's a risk. Monsoon Forest was always generically Indonesian/Sundas anyway so doesn't even need much of a fudge from that side.
Congratulations to Chester on completing the clean sweep by winning the vote for Best Sumatran Orangatun enclosure in the UK. This coupled with the Bornean win firmly cements their reputation as having the best Orangutan exhibits in the UK. (It will of course be interesting to see how the rebuilt Monsoon Forest will look and which species of Orangutan if any inhabit it.) Jersey also put in a good effort to win a large proportion of the votes against the excellent Chester exhibitory. Chester: 65.4% Jersey: 30.8% Monkey World: 3.8%
