Virginia Zoo: Trail of the Tiger, part 1

Trail of the Tiger is the Virginia Zoo integrated set of habitats for the bulk of its Asian fauna.  It is a truly impressive concept where you will have the opportunity to see a wide range of mammals and birds representing a variety of mostly tropical and sub-tropical ecosystems.  The animals are relaxed, active and obviously well cared for.  A hallmark of this zoo is the spacious and naturalistic design to the habitats.  Many have water features that flow and where appropriate the design offered a range of engaging apparatus.  It truly one of my favorite integrated regional zoo designs in the country.

Like with any visit to any zoo where animals make autonomous choices regarding their presence within habitats that afford them privacy, you get what you get.  The last time I visited, I had wonderful opportunities to see and enjoy some of the Bornean Orangutans, but the family of Siamang were not out.  This time only Solaris was out in the Orangutan habitat and he wasn't very interested in being active (spending a lot of his time watching some of the other Orangutans though a large glass window that lets natural light enter their interior habitat), and the Siamangs were all out and enjoying the warm and blustery day on their large island home.  So I got to enjoy Bali, Hitam and Guntur as they played, hung out together, enjoyed their breakfast.

The open habitat for the Bornean Orangutans.  Can you see Solaris?

A close-up reveals him patiently peering into the interior habitat where the other Orangutan couple were sleeping.  Solaris' mate is Dara and their offspring, Sophie were spending the morning in like fashion in an adjacent interior habitat.

 Long view of the Siamang Island Habitat, followed by various images of the Siamang family group: Bali the adult male, Hitam the adult female, and Guntur their adolescent male offspring.