Sumatran orangutans at the Łódź Zoo Orientarium

The Sundaic Islands zone in the Orientarium is home to the only Sumatran orangutans in Poland. Ketawa, Joko and Budi can be seen in Łódź.

The Sundaic Islands are the warmest zone of the Łódź Orientarium. The temperature here reaches 24-26 degrees, while the humidity remains at 80%. These are perfect conditions for the Sumatran orangutans that live here – Ketawa, Budi and Joko.

Dream team at the Łódź Zoo Orientarium

10-year-old Ketawa and 19-year-old Budi arrived in Łódź in 2021. Previously, they lived in the Zoo in Basel. Twelve-year-old Joko, on the other hand, came from France. Orangutans have indoor and outdoor enclosures. Ketawa and Budi stay together almost all the time and make quite a harmonious couple. The keepers hope that this relationship will result in offspring in the future. Joko is separated from the rest because, as a second male, he could cause unease. However, he does not feel secluded, as orangutans are loners by nature. In addition, he sometimes has a company of gibbons, with whom he gets along pretty well. And a new female is likely to appear in the future.

Ketawa was shy and withdrawn when she arrived in Łódź, but over time she began to feel more and more at ease. Now she can often be seen swinging on ropes installed in the enclosure. Budi settled in quite fast. He has no need for close contact with people and is independent and self-reliant. Unlike Joko, who needs a daily massage and back scratching. The keepers are happy to pander to his whims, and always appear in the enclosure wearing protective masks.

Sumatran orangutans are apes and therefore can contract diseases from humans. In this case, it is important to be on the safe side. All three are provided with some entertainment, but Ketawa is the most eager to play. – We give them hemp bags and clothes to play with. Ketawa grabs one part, I grab the other and we wrestle. Of course, the chances of winning are quite equal – says Michał Cichoń, animal keeper, with a laugh.

What do Sumatran orangutans eat?

In the wild, monkeys spend a great deal of time foraging for food, so in the Zoo the feeding of orangutans takes place five or six times a day. – We hide food in various places within the enclosure, scatter it in the bark, put it in the least obvious corners. We do it to make them put in some effort. We don’t bring them anything on a silver platter – adds Michał Cichoń. Food exploration is good for the animal’s mental wellbeing and enhances its intelligence. Orangutans are some of the most brilliant creatures in the world, so they need to be given special challenges. That is when their brains are working at full capacity all the time. Ketawa, Budi and Joko mostly eat vegetables, dried fruit and various nuts. They like cauliflower, peppers, beetroot and peanuts. Sometimes, they get fruit, some honey, natural yoghurt and, in small quantities, cooked legumes, grouts and rice. Monkeys also have special drinkers, but they prefer to drink water poured into a bottle – they find it much tastier.

Sumatran orangutans are endemic to the rainforests of Sumatra. It is estimated that there are about a dozen thousand or so. It is a critically endangered species and the main reason for its extinction is habitat clearing for oil palm plantations. The Orientarium stands in solidarity with orangutans, which is why the vending machines here include snacks that are palm oil-free.

The apes are also threatened by poachers. – They abduct small orangutans a few days after birth. They kill the mothers, while out of their young they make pets or spectacular attractions to see. Predictions indicate that, in 20-25 years, orangutans may no longer exist at all – emphasises Michał Cichoń. We very much hope that this will not be the case.