Back to the zoo again, and yes, sorry if you don't like animals. This time the orangutans were out in force and I couldn't resist.
We were lucky with our timing. Often you get a glimpse of orange high up and that's about it, but these guys were active and happy to show off while we were there. One spent a fair bit of time up on the top platform, peeking over the edge of the roof like it was keeping an eye on the crowd below.
Lunch with a view
The big fella was the star. Sitting up on the platform, long hair hanging down like a shaggy coat, he worked his way through a mouthful of straw without a care in the world. Every so often he'd look straight down the lens with that calm, slightly unimpressed expression. You can't stage that. He just decided he'd give me a few seconds and then went back to his snack.
Why they were mistaken for us
When orangutans were first seen, people thought they were hairy humans, and after watching them for a while you can see why. Watch one moving around from behind, reaching into a feeder box or pulling itself along the rails, and the shape and the movement look surprisingly familiar. The arms, the shoulders, the way they use their hands. It's not hard to imagine someone in the jungle catching a glimpse and thinking it was a person.
Even the feeders make them work for it. The woven metal boxes mean they have to reach in and pick out their food, which keeps them busy and makes for some great shots of hands and arms at work.
A face made of faces
On the way out there's a large mosaic on the fence. Up close it's hundreds of small photos of people and orangutans. Step back and they come together into the face of an orangutan. A nice touch, and a good reminder of how closely connected we are.
All in all, a great visit. Some days the animals hide away and you leave with a camera full of empty enclosures. This wasn't one of those days.