Work on Rusti's home begins
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser Staff Writer
WAIKIKI — In about six months, Rusti the orangutan will live in one of the best zoo enclosures in the nation, according to an orangutan researcher.
A ground-breaking ceremony yesterday at the Honolulu Zoo officially kicked off work on a new enclosure for the animal, one of the zoo's most popular attractions.
The event was considered a breakthrough following several failed attempts to give him an appropriate home and free him from a small enclosure that was intended to house him for only six months.
The new site is about 10 times larger than the small pen Rusti lives in now, said Birute Galdikas, a world-renowned expert on orangutans.
"This facility is equal to the $5 million habitat that the Los Angeles Zoo built," Galdikas said. "And it will be for half the price."
Before the ceremony, Rusti swung from his swing, his burnished dark brown hair flowing, as his benefactors looked on.
Rusti's new digs are compliments of donations from the Chelsey Foundation, the Orangutan Foundation International and Rose Helen Vincent, whose estate donated $100,000.
The best aspect of Rusti's new home is that it will resemble his Borneo habitat, and he'll have a banyan tree to climb that will be sturdy enough to bear his 300 pounds.
Rusti is 24 years old and for more than half his life has not had a tree to climb, said Galdikas.
"He'll be able to sit and watch the zoo comings and goings from his tree, see the cars below and the ocean from his perch in the tree," Galdikas said.
The city had wanted to provide an adequate site for Rusti, said city Managing Director Ben Lee. Unfortunately, the city budget would not allow money for such an investment, he said.
But after the City Council was convinced to accept the donations, plans formed to build Rusti a new home.
The site of Rusti's new home is where the zoo had held elephant encounters, said Ken Redman, Honolulu Zoo director.
"This new habitat will be so much, much better," Redman said. "It will be psychologically stimulating and allow him to be physically active."
Rusti, who is owned by the Los Angeles-based Orangutan Foundation International, came to Honolulu in 1997 after the foundation helped remove him from what they considered unacceptable conditions at a private New Jersey zoo.
At the time, he was expected to stay at the zoo in a 600-square- foot cage for about six months, but various plans for a larger, permanent home have fallen through, including proposals to move him to the Big Island and to Kualoa Ranch on O'ahu.
In the future, the zoo hopes to acquire a female companion for Rusti, Galdikas said.
"He's the most popular and well-known animal in the zoo," Redman said. "Everyone loves Rusti."
Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.
