Breakfast with the Orangutans
Posted at 8:01 am April 13, 2006 by Yvette Kemp
Since I’ve started working on a daily basis with the orangutans, I’ve really gotten to know them better. They are so different from each other and it has been fun getting to know each of their personalities. As I get to know each of them, I hope to share my stories with you so you can get to know them better, too.
We have seven orangutans at the San Diego Zoo; one female Bornean orangutan named Janey, and six Sumatran orangutans: Clyde, Satu, Josephine, Karen, Indah, and Cinta. Here’s how our day begins…
I arrive at 6 a.m. and check that everyone is doing okay. Since it is still pretty early, I just turn on a dim light so that I can see them but not completely disturb them. The orangutans are not early-morning critters. (Well, Janey sometimes is but that’s a different story!) As I walk by each of their bedrooms, I make sure to check their doors and say hello to them. Most of them acknowledge me by either putting out a hand for me to shake or looking up as I go by. Josie (pictured) will most likely have a bag or something covering her head, but she removes it to look at me and gives me her hand to shake. Janey is usually waiting to say hello at one of her side windows where I rub her lips as she holds them out to me. Once I have seen that everyone is fine, I turn the lights back off and clean the exhibit.
Breakfast is served around 7 to 7:30. I usually turn on the lights, turn on the radio (something soft to start the day with), then serve them each their own cup of juice. Cinta loves this part and will usually run over to his own room so his mom, Indah, doesn’t drink it all. Each orangutan has his or her breakfast weighed out; it’s hard maintaining that girlish figure, and by weighing the amount of food they eat we can help them stay healthy. Breakfast consists of folivore biscuits and mixed fruit, usually apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, melon, pear, raisins, and whatever novel fruit we receive that day. To make it easier for me to keep track, and a little more exciting for the orangutans, they each get their breakfast in a brown paper bag. They seem to like this presentation and it keeps them busy for quite a while.
While they eat breakfast, I continue to clean and set up the exhibit and prepare any needed medications. By 8:30 I am ready for them to start their day on exhibit. But before they go out, we do some training in a chute they must go through that leads them outside.
There are many behaviors they do as part of their training, but I’ll have to save that for another time.
Yvette Kemp is a senior mammal keeper at the San Diego Zoo.
View the orangutans on Ape Cam and read their bios.
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April 13th, 2006 at 8:31 am
Thanks for sharing the events of your mornings with us! Having breakfast in a brown paper bag reminds me of my sack lunches when going to elementary school each day. Even though my lunch bag contained almost the same thing each day, I still liked opening it up–wishing for a unique surprise from my Mom. The orangutans are amazing animals and I anxiously await further descriptions of each one along with the amazing things you do for them and with them.
April 13th, 2006 at 8:57 am
That was an awesome blog! Very interesting!! Here’s my day – I sit at a desk for 8 hours. I should’ve gone to school for animal care. I’m very jealous of you guys!! Keep these blogs coming!
April 13th, 2006 at 10:47 pm
What an interesting blog. Orangutans may not be the prettiest animals in the world but they are highly intelligent and fun to watch. I always think that they resemble humans the closest out of all the monkey range; a lot of wisdom is in those eyes!
April 15th, 2006 at 6:06 am
I love that pic of Josie- she’s got a nice hair cut LoL
April 17th, 2006 at 12:26 pm
This is fascinating. I admire your commitment and creativity!
April 17th, 2006 at 1:24 pm
Yvette , What a great bit of information. I love the orangs and have to disagree with Joanne because I think they are beautifull animals. I love all of them. Thanks for letting us know how they start their day. I can’t wait to read more about their training .
April 17th, 2006 at 5:38 pm
Yvette, I’ve always looked forward to your articles in ZOONOOZ and love this blog format. Thanks for always giving us such fun information about your animals. I know that those orangs are in good hands with you; you treat them like your children, with tender loving care! I look forward to hearing more… don’t leave us hanging too long.
April 19th, 2006 at 11:15 am
I just love your insider’s intimate account of early morning with the orangs. I always wondered how they start their day. I adore watching these beautiful apes. Their red bronze hair is the envy of many visitors. And little Cinta is the sweetest, cutest boy.
April 19th, 2006 at 2:41 pm
What a great blog! Love to hear about the orangs too. I go on the Sunrise Strolls and always wish we would be able to have the keeper tells us about the orangs, I am still hoping we can some day, but now I know they don’t like to get up in the mornings like a lot of people. I don’t think we would want to make them grumpy for the day by making them get up and out too early.
I love coming to see them in action and they are always entertaining; never a dull moment with the orangs.
Keep up the great work and I know you give them special care and love. Thanks for the info and can’t wait for more….