Orangutan Stages Brilliant Zoo Jailbreak
Karta the orangutan got sick of being cooped up in a zoo and decided to stage a jailbreak in what has been called an ‘elaborate plot’ involving short-circuited wires and a makeshift ladder. On Sunday, authorities were forced to shut down the Adelaide Zoo in Australia after a visitor noticed the 27-year-old orangutan climbing a concrete and glass fence meant to keep her separate from the public.
From News.com.au:
Zoo curator Peter Whitehead said Karta had twisted a stick into hot wires that encircled her enclosure, short circuiting the wires and allowing her to enter a vegetated area near the concrete and glass fence that separated her from the public.
She then piled up sticks, grass and plant roots and used them to climb onto the fence.
”You’re talking about an animal that’s highly intelligent, Mr Whitehead said.
”We’ve had issues with her before in normal day to day operations where she tries to outsmart the keepers.
”So in this case she’s decided to make a ladder and try to get out of her exhibit.”
Mr Whitehead said Karta was on the fence for about half an hour before climbing back down into the exhibit.
Whitehead says he thinks Karta finally realized she was somewhere she wasn’t supposed to be, and that’s why she dropped back into the exhibit – but maybe it’s because she didn’t want to get shot by the staff standing by with tranquilizer guns.
Orangutans and other primates – and thousands of other species in the animal kingdom – are way smarter than humans like to think. We don’t give these creatures enough credit. I’m glad Karta didn’t have to get shot, but perhaps her brave escape plot will open some people’s eyes to this fact.
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Image credit: marcoha.com
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This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 at 11:00 am and is filed under Consciousness, Green Living, Health, Science, Spirituality. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
