Common O Line Questions
Why don’t the orangutans fall off the O Line?
Orangutans are highly arboreal animals with many physical adaptations for living in trees. Such as long arms, and grasping fingers and toes. Orangutans are cautious about distributing their weight, usually holding on with two or more limbs at once. Because they are arboreal, their strongest instinct is to hold on. They are also able to judge the distance to the ground.
Why don’t they escape?
They do not escape because the wires are too high, because
the platforms and towers have electric wires, and because
the towers they can climb down are in the yards. The orangutans are most comfortable along familiar pathways and living
spaces such as their enclosures and the O line. All of their
needs are meet in this area so there is no reason for them
to search for a new territory. Also, the animals feel more
comfortable in their home environments of the Great Ape House
and Think Tank.
Has anyone ever escaped?
Yes, two animals have passed over the electrical barrier and
have climbed down the towers. In 1994, during the design test
phase of the O Line, Azy, an adult male, traveled once, climbed
down a tower, was sedated, and returned to his enclosure.
He has not traveled since. Alterations were made to towers
#2 through #7 to prevent an orangutan from again climbing
around the electrified elements.
In 2000 Junior traveled for the first time, his size and weight on the cables brought him in contact with the electric wires as he traveled on the cables. He climbed down the tower to avoid the shock. He was darted and returned to the Great Ape House.
This incident showed that the O Line was not designed to provide enough clearance for large males to arrive on a tower without touching the electric wires. In the winter of 2002, the cables were raised an additional five feet from the platform to give the large males more room to travel. They are currently 50 feet (15 m) high.
What if they go to the bathroom while
they are over people?
They do, so tell people to check to see if there is an animal
directly above them and if so, to move! The animal care staff
arranges clean up, should something fall. If a visitor is
hit, the staff is also prepared to assist with that clean
up.
