Auckland Zoo moves three Orangutans to Christchurch

Thursday, 17 August 2017

Charlie and his fellow orangutans will be moving to Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch in late September.

Auckland Zoo's three Bornean orangutans are moving to Christchurch while their enclosure gets a makeover.

From late September orangutans Charlie, Melur and Wanita will be living next to gorillas in Orana Wildlife Park's Great Ape Centre for two years.

The move is due to a $50 million development of a new precinct for Auckland Zoo's South East Asian wildlife. It is part of a wider $120m development over the next 10 years.

Auckland Zoo director Jonathan Wilcken said the new precinct would offer visitors an immersive experience.

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The South East Asian precinct will also feature tigers, otters and different types of fish, reptiles and invertebrates.

Auckland Zoo primate team leader Amy Robbins said her team was working closely with members of Orana Wildlife Park who had come to Auckland to get to know the orangutans.

'My team and I will take turns working between Auckland and Orana,' Robbins said.

The move meant the orangutans would get the best of both worlds by having their old team of carers as well as a new team and a new environment, she said.

Orana Wildlife Park chief executive Lynn Anderson said her team was excited to welcome the orangutans and that the transfer was a fantastic example of how zoos could collaborate together for species' conservation.

'The gorillas have captivated visitors and I am certain people will be equally enthralled with the awesome orangutans,' Anderson said.

For World Orangutan Day on Saturday Auckland Zoo will hold special orangutan encounters twice daily at 12pm and 3pm.