Pamela Moresby
This happened a long time ago, when the Art teacher got a bus to take high school teenagers to the Auckland Zoo. I was one of them.
She was about 35 with long thick red hair and short and dumpy with brown eyes. She was vague and if you asked her a question, it was about any subject except the answer to your question. However, the Zoo trip is a lesson I won’t forget.
I very much doubt that Art teacher observed anything at all.
We went in different directions and drew various animals. I drew a flamingo and then I headed to the circus. A load of cat calls came from a cage. I went to see what they were all shouting about.
There were signs up by his cage, and he had done physical damage to a woman Zookeeper. Didn’t pay to mess with this Orangutang.
I came to the cage and heard some teenagers shouting horrible words. Then I saw an old man huddled in a blanket shaking and shivering. I called to it. He came over to me.
This is the best description of what I saw
<a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/photos/sumatran-orangutan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source</a>
The teenage crowd was still jeering insults and the man posed for me as I drew him. I told him he was very handsome and kind. I left. The man went back into his blanket. I don’t blame him.
Im not sure whether the animal knew a friend from a foe, but I think in this case, he definitely knew the difference.
Never underestimate an animal. I found out later that this is an Orangutang. A very intelligent man. Brighter than all of those teenagers I believe.
I told Mum about it when I got home. She told me another interesting story. A very old Orangutang is what I met at the Zoo.
The same Orangutang was around when Mum was a girl. Apparently it liked smoking. So a man who knew this smoked and pretended to go to give it a cigarette but he never gave it to the Orangutang.
So the Orangutang urinated on the man!
Now the Orangutang live in an open field in Auckland Zoo. They are treated with respect, they don’t smoke and they don’t have to endure teasing and insults of ignorant people.
The Orangutang is an endangered species because people are getting rid of their rainforests by growing palm oil instead. The Orangutang is a very social animal and they live in families. Some people are very cruel in this world and only think of themselves.
hi,, I looked with great pleasure to this very pleasant and interesting article.
Thanks Carmen, now the Zoo is more kinder to Orangutang
During the First World War, a South African monkey received a gold medal because it saved two soldiers and was even awarded the rank of captain. They are very smart animals.
I can believe it, these animals can sense people.
I completely agree with Albert. These animals are very close to us and should be treated better. Sad story.
Thanks Carol, I can agree with both of you there.
Orangutans have a 96.4% DNA similarity with humans, so they have a close kinship with us. As an Indonesian citizen where orangutans come from (Sumatera and Kalimantan island), I am saddened by human treatment of them, as you have said, greed is the bases. But let alone to orangutans, humans can even be very cruel to each other!
I completely agree with you. I know you talk the truth. People are very cruel
Well, only we can tame our own cruelty, right?
Nice post! Nice picture!
Thanks, got that picture from the internet. Glad you like it .
Very interesting and a little bit sad post.
Thanks Ellie, our Auckland Zoo at least treats the Orangutang a bit better.
Good to hear! I used to love going to the zoo when I was little, but the last timewhen I went, I started feeling a little sad. There are things that could be improved here in Bulgaria.
An interesting and revealing story. I am glad that you have mentioned the issue of habitat destruction for the purpose of establishing palm oil plantations. The orangutan is under severe threat because of yet another example of human greed.
Thanks Indexer you are so right