Smithsonian National Zoo #5: Bornean Orangutans

The Smithsonian National Zoo features two species of greater apes in their primate collection: Orangutans and Gorillas.  The Great Ape House is home to the Gorillas and has a pair of suites for the Orangutans.  The education building known as the "Think Tank" has another suite for the Orangutans.  The Orangutans travel between the two spaces on the "O Line" which is a 40 foot high pair of cables that stretch between a series of towers.  It's quite harrowing to watch them make their way from one building to the next.

There are 7 Orangutans in the troop.  Four of them are hybrids mixed between the two species Bornean and Sumatran.  They are comprised of the male Kiko, and the three females Iris, Bonnie and Lucy.  because they are hybrids, they are not bred.  The zoo is their home and the end of their genetic lineage.  The other three are Bornean Orangutans and, in fact, are a family unit.  Kyle is the adult Male and Batang the adult female.  Redd is their 2-year-old son.  They are free all to choose where to hang out and with whom and as such the whereabouts of any particular animal is fluid.  Today, Batang, Redd, Bonnie and Lucy were chilling in the suite at the "Think Tank".  Redd was playing peek-a-boo with Bonnie or Lucy (I can't tell them apart) while his mother Batang watched and occasionally played referee.  The adult female not his mother sat in a large tub with a blanket that she would pull over herself and Redd would try to get it off of her while she tried to stay covered.  It was quite a delightful exchange.  When Redd got too annoying, Batang would just reach in and pull him out for a little "time out".

 Before the fun was over, Batang swiped the sheet and then hid herself from Redd while he tried to likewise uncover his mother as he had the other female.

 Other Lesser Apes can also be found in this facility: Allen's Swamp Monkeys, Schmidt's Guenons, Goeldi's Monkeys, Geoffroy's Tamarins, and Black Howler Monkeys.

To spend time observing them without a crowd of noisey, half-interested people and screaming kids, some who inevitably pound on the glass in spite of admonitions not to, was a joy.