Hey please could you all do me a favour and fill in this questionnaire to help me with my college project comparing orangutan exhibits. I will then be able to collect the data to make a design of the 'perfect' orangutan exhibit. Thanks for helping me. P.s. also give me advice on what I could change about the questionnaire to make it easier and anything else you want to add. Go on the websites to see the zoo enclosures: ZooLex Exhibit ZooLex Exhibit ZooLex Exhibit Heres the questionnaire:
I downloaded the questionnaire, but because it's a pdf file I can't edit it or enter my answers on it. I can send you my answers in a PM in a few days time, but I'll simply use the numbers of the questions in my reply. Alan
1. Are you asking whether I am in animal management? Might want to make this clear, and no. 2. Chester Zoo because it has the most vegetation and has many species in the exhibit that shows what species are in the Borneo/Sumatran Ecosystems. 3. I would add more fake vines and less ropes and fire hoses because it looks more natural. 4. I would have chosen grass for a substrate rather than dirt and use less rocks because most orangs don't typically hang around rocky areas. 5. Melbourne doesn't provide much hiding from visitors, limited vegetation, and uses mostly ropes and fire hoses. The could do a better job making it more natural. 6. I like the Gibbon and Orang mix but the Otter mix not so much. Correct me if I'm wrong but, If you were able to ask a wild Orang whether or not they have seen Dwarf otters I would suspect most would say no. The gibbons are more active than Orangs and add a more of a wild card to the situation. I do think that the gibbons should be separated part of the time to give the more laid backed Orangs a break. As a visitor I would be interested in the mixing of primate species and maybe more would learn about gibbons because they would wonder what species is in with the orangs. Rather than just a cool monkey in a enclosure. For me if I was designing an enclosure I would use the water barrier. I would have several islands linked together by rope or fake vine bridges. Each Island would have tall live trees and plenty of enrichment. Putting certain fruits on certain islands would cause them to use their navigational skills, that aren't typically used in zoos. Visitors could either watch orangs from river edges or ride in small boats and see orangs better. Adding gibbons, and maybe even anoa, babirusa, or Malayn Tapir would be a neat idea. Malayn Tapirs would need stronger fences and might endanger visitors while riding on boats. Good luck with your project!
Thanks Hey thanks for replying CiaranDUK - Sorry it wouldnt open but thanks for trying Alan - Thank you I would apreciate that and Kbaker116 - Thanks for filling it it I appreciate you doing that for me You comment have helped Camilla
May I ask if this is for A level graphic products as I was thinking of doing something similar for my A2 level project (I'm currently doing AS)
I am having the same problem as gentle lemur, however I'll answer here. Part of animal management? No. Which enclosure is your favourite? Chester Zoo's Realm of the Red Ape Why? The enclosures are really well planted and the poles really tall allowing the orangs to climb and swing as well as look out across the rest of the zoo. Also, the building gives a better reflection of a South-east Asian eco-system than the others as there are a number of smaller animals - including some which are quite rare in zoos. Finally, the sumatran orangs have two outdoor enclosures as well as the building's bottom floor making it, in my opinion, a better exhibit for the inhabitants than the other two. If you could change one thing about the Chester Zoo enclosure what would you change and why? A greater effort could have been made to make the orang enclosures more natural, I don't really mind the poles and fire-hoses but the vomit-green fence is particularly off-putting. If you could change one thing about the Hagenbeck Zoo enclosure what would you change and why? I like the idea but the cost is ridiculous for what is quite a small enclosure. The best solution I have to this is that, for the height of the area, the climbing structures do not seem to be very tall (or at least tall enough to fully utilise the space). Therefore, I would improve it by heightening the climbing structures. If you could change one thing about the Melbourne Zoo enclosure what would you change and why? I don't see the point in spending millions on landscaping and theming moat barriers etc when the affect is ruined by highly artificial sway poles and elevated platforms. As such, I would decide whether it should be naturalistic rainforest, or a "jungle" gym and stick to that theming. The Orang-utans in Hagenbeck Zoo share their enclosure with Dwarf Otters and the Orang-utans at Chester Zoo and Melbourne Zoo share their enclosure with Gibbons. Do you think this will impact the Orang-utans in any way? (Incidentally, the Chester orangs now share one of their exhibits with short-clawed otters as well.) I don't pretend to know much about this matter, but I can't imagine the gibbons causing too much of a problem; furthermore, being more active, they present a more interesting exhibit for visitors. I can imagine more of a problem with the otters as short-claws are notoriously quite aggressive in mixed exhibits. However, I think Chester have the balance right as the otters can choose to be in the orang exhibit or in the neighbouring babirusa enclosure so that the two are not always together. Also, they only have access to one of the enclosures so the orangs have the other outdoor area and the climbing structures in that exhibit if they wish to avoid the otters. What difference do you think it makes for the visitor? Both species are quite active, so give visitors something more interesting to watch if the orangs are sleeping (which happens frequently). It may also present a better reflection of the rainforest eco-system where many different species interact with one another.
