AZA Habitat Guidelines for Great Apes - Orangutan Update Week Eleven 10.28.19

Let me start by making this statement.  I personally can not understand how the Director of an Animal Care Facility, such as the San Francisco Zoo, can consciously and morally allow Animals the size of Great Apes to sit day after day in a five foot high tunnel and not take immediate action to make their life better.  Where is the Empathy and Compassion, as the Orangutans end the Eleventh Week with the only space available to them outside their bedrooms, is the Skytrails?  

If I am missing something, Director Peterson needs to put out a statement about this, because I'm not the only one who is wondering what her thought process is on this.  Over the past two weeks, it seems that other regular visitors are also finally taking notice.  I have heard them talking within their own group, as well as ask Animal Staff, if the trails is the only (outside) place they have.  

I mentioned in my.previous post that there was a notation in the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) Orangutan Care Manual, about the need for room to "stretch" and "climb".

Here is a photo of Amoi moving through the Skytrail, which by my estimate is approximately 5ft in height.  Her body and limbs bend as she moves through it, I don't think I've ever seen her stretch full length while inside the trail.

Here is a video of Ollie, trying to climb the trail mesh when he saw Chimpanzee Maggie climbing.  It was heartbreaking to watch.  This is the only time I've seen him do this.  He obviously can not climb in the trail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm2LKZcnF9M

I'm sure the Orangutans are able to fully stretch in their bedrooms, but I doubt there is any place for them to climb, and if there is, it is not a proper set-up as intended by these guidelines.

Top and Bottom Screencaps from AZA Orangutan Care Manual in regard to housing.  No link to provide for this, but full document is available via Google search, that will immediately download PDF of Manual.

The guideline for space for Orangutans, was not as clear to me as it was for Chimpanzees.  Using the Chimpanzee recommended guideline, (I converted the measurements) it is notated that for up to five Chimps 2000 Sq Ft is required, adding an additional 1000 for each additional Chimp.  By my calculations that is 4000 Sq Ft for a group of Seven Chimpanzees.  According to signage, the Dayroom is 1240 Sq Ft, the Yard is 2600, for a total of 3840 Sq Ft.  The Bedrooms are 1000 Sq Ft.  Using these calculations, it clearly shows that for a group of Seven Chimpanzees, there is no feasible way to rotate the Chimpanzees and Orangutans, within these two spaces.  A Third space, that of an additional Yard in Triple Grotto is necessary.  ... So again, WHY is there no third space?  WHY was there no third space constructed before the Zoo acquired Orangutans?  Why did the AZA allow these Orangutans to be transferred to a Zoo that had no proper place for them?  WHY is there no third space in the process of being constructed?  WHY is there no temporary yard being constructed?  HOW long do the Orangutans have to live in the trails?

Screencap from AZA Chimpanzee Care Manual in regard to housing.  No link to provide for this, but full document is available via Google search, that will immediately download PDF of Manual.

The Chimpanzees are still separated into two groups, as introductions are still in progress. The Official Statement by the Zoo is that once the Chimpanzees are fully integrated, they will rotate the Yard and Dayroom with the Orangutans.  I do not see how that can happen on a regular basis.  Maybe a one off here and there, if there was construction started in Triple Grotto, but there is not.  A regular rotation would by my thought, have to have one variation of these scenarios.  ... Chimps in Dayroom, with access to bedrooms and possibly long trail.  Orangs in Yard, with access to short trail and bedrooms.  OR  Chimps in Yard, with access to short trail, but locked out of their bedrooms.  Orangs in Dayroom, with access to long trail, and bedrooms.  The first scenario, logically does not provide the space for Seven Chimpanzees, as the Dayroom alone, is less than half the recommended size.  ... There needs to be a third Yard, and NOW!

So, I noted above how I've overheard visitors talking about the space where the Orangutans have to live.  I've noted the Zoo's Official Statement.  And by this recent news article from Ollie's hometown, what the Erie Zoo has reported to press, even before he left, has been a bit curious. At the time they noted that SFZoo had a brand new enclosure for him.  So I don't know who's selling the illusion, who's buying the illusion, but those of us who are there in person, can certainly see, info from all sides does not add up to what the reality is, or what it should be.   

The news article from Erie:

https://www.goerie.com/news/20191026/former-erie-zoo-animals-thrive-in-new-homes

Screencap of portion regarding male Orangutan Ollie.

I think this whole cruel situation with Ollie and Amoi is wearing me down.  Again I posted a video and forgot to make it public, as I intended to do a post update sooner.  I did Week Ten yesterday.  It should have gone in there.  Anyway, posted last week, I made it on 10.14.19, the start of Week Nine.  Sadly, the story remains the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watchv=vPqpRznYkk8&t=4s

Last week, this news was reported.  I found it ironic, since San Francisco Zoo can't even spring for a renovation in Triple Grotto.  A two island yard to complete their Great Ape Passage and a net over one island for an immediate temporary yard.  Happy for the Orangutans in Toronto, even Sadder for ours here in San Francisco. ... I'll just leave this here.  

You can read the full article here:

https://toronto.citynews.ca/video/2019/10/24/toronto-zoos-6-million-orangutan-conservation-plan/?fbclid=IwAR1ar1-q7RTYfhlSQcrHkWaLqGnCDQS8nPQH4zmIhIOaPHmrIlxY53F5w5k

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Chimpanzee Update - Chimps Enter New Yard For The First Time! and See Their New Orangutan Neighbor!!

From Draft to Post
Monday 7.8.19

Well, I'm finally getting to this post.  I heard something on the radio this morning and I thought, yes!  I must strive for that mentality.  It was in reference to writing papers, whether in school, business, personal correspondence,... Don't wait for it to be perfect, just get it done.  They had one gal noting that some paper she was working on has taken three months.  I laughed as my Madagascar post has been in draft for over a year!  It takes me along time, because many of the subjects are draining to rehash.  Some posts also require  going through info, photos, or even researching some things.  I like to present as much information, and documentation to support what I'm writing about. Anyway, I thought, I just need to get my posts in draft done.  There are six more than the four I had holding places. So I got ten total to write.  I wanted to do alot over the last weekend.  I felt it was the perfect time to get Independence from these weights.  Didn't happen.  So I'm hoping to reach my goals by the end of the month. 

So let's start!  The first of two Great Ape Updates!  It seems there is something new most days I visit.  Its a busy time for Chimps and Orangs, New Animals, Introductions, New Homes, New Areas, and all the combo's and steps of making that work toward the final goal of these two happy and comfortable groups of Apes.

Unless I missed something, the Zoo's Social Media has still made no mention of Qadeer. No welcome. No updates when he was getting introduced to Cobby, Maggie and Minnie. No Nothing.  Sad. Disrespectful.  Anyway, their loss, as I have been posting about him since before he got here.  Here's one from last week of him enjoying his pepper snack!

Our precious Chimpers!  Qadeer was the perfect addition to our group.  Wonderful seeing them all sitting close enough together to capture all in one photo!  L-R Minnie (above), Qadeer, Maggie, and Cobby.

Going back to February, when I had heard that the Orangutans were on their way, I was surprised as the new Yard wasn't even being worked on, and Triple Grotto (TG) was in no condition ready to receive Orangutans.  By mid May, the Orangs were already here, in the TG house and rushing to get the Yard done to be open on Memorial Day weekend was in motion and going strong seven days straight that last week. 

For a couple weeks, I had taken a progress look on every visit.  It looked great, but there was this one log that was a floor to trail access point. I worried that it was too steep for our Senior Chimps. As well, when I saw it with no construction workers a couple days before the Chimps got access, I thought that the main platform access was also too steep.  I worried further that the yard was going to be ok for young Orangutans but not our Senior Chimps.

I got lucky a couple days before the Holiday Weekend, and to came round Chimps and saw the Keeper putting food in the yard, and realized I was going to see the Chimps in there and that it was the first time!  When the Chimps came out, these friends surprised me!  They went right for the steep ladder and climbed it with ease, even Cobby!  They were able to access everything!  I was so happy, after being worried.  In hindsight, I shouldn't have worried and known that there was no way that our Primate Curator would have allowed them in there, if he thought there was any issue with age related accessibility. 

I think because it seemed rushed, and I have heard Triple Grotto plan is pending funding, that I thought some corners might have been cut to fit the timeline and budget.  Again, even if those were factors, I should have had faith in what I already knew about the care our Curator has for these Friends and what he did to make the Dayroom beautiful.  I mostly about things the Zoo gets wrong, but I need to say, hiring Joe Knobbe (Curator) was the best hire they have done in as long as I can remember.  The guy has been a Godsend to our Chimps and now our Orangs.  He really knows his stuff, and this project, the Great Ape Passage (GAP) would have never been done to the level of awesome it has been, if it weren't for him. I'm am so grateful for what he's done for My Precious Chimpers and their new Chimpanzee and Orangutan Friends who will all live in the GAP. 

All that said, in case there are some who don't follow my YouTube or Twitter, and missed these videos,  here's links to all the fun from the first time the Chimps had access to the new Yard!  So happy I was able to see this, another first for our Chimps!  In addition to the joy of seeing them get yet another new and enriching area to explore, the most wonderful part of this is that they did it as a Family.  This is the first time all four have experienced something for the first time together.  It was a beautiful thing!

Pt One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDzKuG3xKM8

Pt Two

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ-YVY_MRAM

Pt Three

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ5Td9dA658

The Zoo's Director of Communications, Graphics, and Social Media were all there, taking photos and filming it, yet there has not been one post showing this special moment in their lives.   Thankfully I happened by at the right time!  It baffles me why the Zoo doesn't post things like this.  All the new stuff the Chimps are experiencing should be shared.  These are all new things for them.  The first new things in fifty years!  That's something to share!

Today the Chimps had another first,...  While I was standing outside watching the Orangutans, I again wondered if they would ever let them see eachother, like one group in each trail.  Literally a few minutes later, Amoi came out into the trail that connects to the Dayroom.  Same moment, the Chimps started screaming.  It was happening!  They were in full view of eachother!  Amoi ran to the door, as the Chimps hooted and hollered in the windows.  She stopped short of the door, and waved her arms towards them.  When they vocalized, she ran back towards Triple Grotto.  Not long after she ran out again, this repeated itself many times.  In the early rushes, she started knocking on the door lol!  and instead of running back to TG, she stepped back a few feet and looked at the Chimps in the window!  I think it became a game for her!  Soon everyone was calm.  Surprising that Cobby once again, was the least animated.  I'm really proud of him how he has handled all these new things.  I was reminded that Our three Seniors had lived side by side with Orangs in the past, and found out Qadeer, had never seen one before!  So, that explained why his reaction was the most high energy.

I won't load my photo files til the weekend, so I filmed the first clip from camera to cell phone.  You can view it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuCV1tLMW40

Looking to the future. 

Our Chimp group will grow this year, with the addition of three additional Chimpanzees.  This will be another first for our three Seniors, as they have only lived in a group maximum of four.  There were other Chimps during the time frame when Cobby and Tallulah first came to the Zoo, but I think the others were gone by the time Minnie and Maggie arrived.

With our group size expanding to seven, more space will be needed.  I have posted before in wonder about the status of redoing Triple Grotto.  For the longest time, no one seemed to know if anything was going to be done to it.  That didn't make sense, as it is clearly a necessary cog in the GAP project.  That said, because of the level of awesome the Dayroom and Yard turned out to be, it would be a let down and eyesore for them to not do it up right.   I have heard its all pending funding.  I've heard it may only involve the North Grotto, which would be ridiculous.  The only logical thing to do is to combine North and South Grotto to make a large yard. I still maintain the best thing to do is fill in the moat.  I blogged about this years ago.  I blogged about it recently.  I think making a larger topical area is a must.  I also hope they can keep or build a new twigging mound, and also have some greenery, grass and bushes if possible.  I've been looking at other Zoos exhibits and have seen some like that.  Basically I hope there are elements to it that are different than the Dayroom and Yard.

This sign now up at Triple Grotto. 

To me acknowledges something will be done. 

When, is anyones' guess.

All I can say to that, and I've said it before, they Zoo has known for years that this would need to be done.  The Zoo has wanted Orangutans for years.  The Zoo should have been fundraising for this the while time.  This project is in a high profile area of the Zoo, it has to be done right.    Since the Dayroom opened, the Chimps have been a big draw.  People love them and they love the new areas.  They can't cheap out on Triple Grotto.  It has to look like it belongs with the two other areas.  I'm sure our Curator will have a wonderful plan, and I hope the Zoo listens and allows him to create more greatness for our Apes, old and new.