Yogyakarta in the national eye... part 2

NGO Claims Orangutans Stressed, Neglected in Zoos

The Center for Orangutan Protection, citing a three-day survey conducted in April, claimed on Wednesday that orangutans in zoos across Java were suffering from unabashed neglect and severe depression.

The nongovernmental organization, blaming an overall failure by local zookeepers to properly operate institutions established to provide sanctuary to the endangered primates, said they had observed 28 orangutans in five local zoos — Bandung, Jakarta, Surabaya, Solo and Yogyakarta.

“The result shows that the orangutans live in poor conditions; most of them are living in stressful conditions and display abnormal behavior,” said Luki Wardhani, the center’s captivity researcher. “We urge the government to immediately follow up our findings.”

She said the animals were stressed out to the point that they were drinking their own urine, banging their heads, eating their own vomit, circling restlessly and masturbating.

“These are symptoms of depression, just the same as in humans,” Luki said. “These are only the ones seen by the public, those put on show. What about the others not on display?”

The complete article is here.

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