Three of the Oregon Zoo's orangutans will move into a much larger exhibit next year that includes more enrichment options to entertain the curious creatures.

"Red Ape Reserve will provide Inji and the other orangs with climbing structures and several enrichment areas, including a special enrichment tree keepers will access from an underground tunnel," said Dave Thomas, Oregon Zoo senior primate keeper. "The exhibit increases their exhibit space by more than three and a half times and the new features should increase their activity level."

Thomas said this will be a beneficial improvement over the animals’ current indoor-only enclosure, especially for 13-year-old male Kutai. Since his arrival in 2001, keepers said it has been “obvious” that the current exhibit was not challenging enough for his inquisitive mind.

“Kutai has been known to dismantle the wooden climbing structures, create tools to get items out of keeper areas, and generally keep his keepers on their toes,” Thomas said.

He added that a pair of white-cheeked gibbons will also be added to the exhibit, which “should make for some interesting interaction between the species."

Red Ape Reserve will provide visitors the opportunity to observe orangutans indoors and outdoors as they literally climb and swing over visitors' heads and come nose-to-nose with them through glass windows.

“The naturalistic exhibit places visitors in the context of the fragile Southeast Asian habitats that are home to wild orangutans and white-cheeked gibbons. It provides visitors opportunities to actively learn about orangutan conservation,” added Bill LaMarche, marketing director for the Oregon Zoo.

The primates building, constructed in 1959, has undergone significant renovations in the past five years. Following the theme "Fragile Forests," the zoo has been transforming the building into a state-of-the-art, naturalistic experience for visitors and animals. Red Ape Reserve continues this transformation, becoming the cornerstone exhibit for the Asian wing of the building.