Sumatran
Orangu-tans…
The zoo in
Bukkitingi in Sumatra, Indonesia was not one of the better zoos I’ve visited
around the world, but also not one of the worst. With the mandatory bottle of
water tucked under my arm, eating monkey peanuts (the type with the shell still
on), I stopped to take a closer look at the magnificent orangutans. A female at
one end of the cage and the majestic male at the other end, I stood in front of
the female on the far left and observed her closely. Her human like mannerisms
convinced me even more of the theory of evolution.
This was
confirmed even further when she moved toward the front of the cage and put her
delicate, yet hairy hand toward me through the bars of the cage. Her black
coloured nails curled softly up as she held her open palm towards me. Her
fingers were long and thin with each knuckle joint showing through her dark
skin, not unlike my own pale skinned fingers.
I was surprised
but more so curious as to what she wanted from me. I looked from left to right
to see if anyone else saw what was happening. There were two other people
looking on, both with just as much intrigue in their expression as I had.
Wondering if she
wanted my water I did a quick scan of the cage to see if she had any. There was
none visible. Or did she want the peanuts? I offered her the peanuts first and
she withdrew her hand. When she put her hand back out I offered her the water
bottle. Now I know the general zoo rule of do not feed the animals but being in
a developing country zoo and it being water I didn’t think it could do too much
harm.
She took it very
gently from my hand and guarded it with her body. She then moved to the middle
of the cage and took small regular sips. She seemed to enjoy the taste as
though it had been a while. A few moments later she moved toward me again and
whilst holding the bottle in one hand she offered me her open palm once more.
Afraid she might grab my hand, I carefully dropped a number of peanuts into her
open palm. I held my hand high enough to be able to give me space to pull it
away if she tried to grab me. She quickly, yet gently closed her hand and moved
back again in the cage.
By this time more people had stopped by interested to see
what was happening. As I looked around at the crowd gathering I noticed the
male swoop down through the cage. His stretched out arms looked like massive
hairy wings. My first thought was that he would snatch the water bottle and
peanuts from her. Instead he stopped briefly to see what she had then he thrust
his massive body toward me. With only the cage bars between us he stopped and
gently put his hand out through the bars to ask for the same. His hand was
twice as big as his female counterpart.
I didn’t have
any more water so even more cautiously I placed another handful of peanuts in
his outstretched palm. He crouched down at the front of the cage, maybe to be
first in line if anything else was offered. He put the handful of peanuts in
his mouth all at once and one by one the shells were spat out on to the ground.
When he was satisfied with his treat he moved to the middle of the cage and
climbed up high on the branch-like bar.
With the female
in the back carefully shelling and eating her peanuts and taking little sips of
the water, the male looked up at me lifting his big lips to show me his gums
lined with the shelled nuts, smiling, as if to say thank-you.
If these
magnificent creatures were able to ask me with spoken words for the water or
peanuts I would have to wonder if I was looking in the mirror as there was very
little difference between myself and the orangutans. I think Darwin was onto
something….
Karen Hofman
