ISLAND VOICES
It's time to give Rusti a home

By Linda Vannatta

Linda Vannatta, a Honolulu Zoo zookeeper, lives in Honolulu. She is representing her personal views here.

In 1997, the Orangutan Foundation International was granted permission by the Honolulu Zoo to board the orangutan Rusti "temporarily" while it built a 28-acre sanctuary on the Big Island for him. The only available exhibit at the zoo, at that time, that was strong enough to hold an orangutan was the old gorilla enclosure.

This enclosure was constructed 50 years ago when little was known about the natural behavior or needs of the great apes, a group consisting of chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans. Since then, we have learned a great deal about these highly intelligent and human-like primates.

In the 1970s, three scientists, Jane Goodall, Diane Fossey and Birute Galdikas, traveled to the forests of Africa and Asia to study the great apes. Their observations taught us that these animals exhibit intellectual abilities, long thought to be unique only to humans, such as self-awareness, tool-making and use, problem-solving and the ability to plan ahead.

Modern zoos and reputable sanctuaries now build primate enclosures to replicate natural habitats. Stereotypical behaviors of captive apes, such as pacing or brooding in a corner, are slowly being replaced by normal behaviors such as climbing, socializing and foraging because of improved exhibits and understanding.

The American Association of Zoos and Aquariums has developed the Great Ape Taxon Advisory Group for accredited zoos. They advise on enclosure requirements and social groupings of great apes. They recommend that an adult male orangutan be housed with at least two or more related adult female orangutans, and that the enclosures are spacious and are built away from loud noises. Public viewing should be allowed from one side only, and the animals on display should have a visual escape from the stares of visitors.

Rusti's "temporary" stay at the Honolulu Zoo has stretched into almost seven years. He has waited, alone, in a substandard enclosure much too long. It is becoming very clear that Rusti's state-of-the-art orangutan sanctuary will never materialize in Hawai'i. We need to commit to either building him a modern enclosure at the Honolulu Zoo where he will be cared for by trained personnel or we need to send him back to the Mainland to a reputable sanctuary that will meet his lengthy list of needs, including a climbing structure and the companionship of a female orangutan.