Karta, the ingenious orangutan

[mercurial]

A sharp-witted orangutan escaped from a zoo enclosure today by short-circuiting electric wires on a fence and then building a makeshift ladder.

But before the ingenious female ape, Karta, could continue with her brilliant escape plan she saw keepers standing by with tranquiliser guns, realised the game was up and jumped back into her enclosure.

'We're looking here at an animal that is extremely intelligent,' said Mr Peter Whitehead, curator of Adelaide Zoo in South Australia.

'She's always trying to outsmart the keepers and today she showed a touch of genius.'

The 10-stone orangutan used a stick to twist together electric wires circling her enclosure, resulting in the power supply - which would have given her a jolt if she'd touched the live wires - being cut off.

She clambered through the fencing and entered a bushy area near a glass and concrete fence that separated her from the public.

But that barrier did not deter her.

After examining the height of the fence, she began piling sticks, grass and plant roots and used them as a ladder to climb onto the top of the fence.

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[mercurial]

Whistling orangutan in Germany to release album

A whistling orangutan in a zoo in Germany is releasing a CD of his jungle jingles.

Ujian, 14, of Heidelberg Zoo, is described as a 'clever and talented fellow' by the zoo’s ape expert Bernd Kowalsky.

'Ujian has developed his own multiple-tone whistling technique,' said Kowalsky, who speculated that he might have been inspired by whistling members of cleaning crews or the noisy monkeys nearby.

A Heidelberg-based music producer decided to record his finer moments for a CD now being released by the zoo.

'I am Ujian' mixes the ape’s whistling with jungle sounds and some singing by a human. Various renditions – including a jaunty house track and a karaoke version – will go on sale in June for €3.99.

'If there are any profits it will all stay with the zoo to refurbish the ape enclosure,' said producer Christian Wolf, who spent hours putting together a catchy melody with Ujian’s work.

'I’m from Heidelberg and frequently go to the zoo with my kids. I’d just be happy to help the apes.'

But the orangutan seems to have a ready-made audience just waiting for his CD.

'I’ve never seen so many people whistling in front of the orangutan cage,' said Kowalsky.

But Ujian is largely unimpressed by his human groupies – he’s more interested in using his musical skills to impress the two female orangutans that live with him.

Same link.

 

[Devill]

Very very interesting. I have also seen a dog playing more than 4 sports and a dog that can do maths.

 

[BCO]

I love orangutans.