Captive orangutans: enriching bodies, minds, and lives
By: Jessica Parker, Enrichment Intern and Janie Dubman, OFI writer, special to mongabay.com.July 22, 2010
Enrichment is designed to improve the quality of captive animal life through the provision of novel objects and manipulation of their external environment. Enrichment keeps animals both mentally and physically stimulated in order to prevent boredom and depression and the development of obsessive compulsive behaviors like turning in circles, pacing, and self mutilation. Enrichment stimulates natural behaviors like play, foraging, problem solving, and social interaction between group members. Captive primates in particular thrive in conditions that mimic the complex socio-ecological challenges they have been faced with in the wild for millions of years. Conversely, they suffer more acutely in captivity when their external environment does not provide enough activities to engage the brain as it would be in the wild. For rehabilitation centers like the OCCQ, enrichment plays a particularly important role because it is an invaluable part of the learning process through which young orangutans acquire the skills needed to survive in the wild.
 Karbank demonstrates how important forest outings are for learning how to find and process wild foods. Photo courtesy of OCCQ. |
The two primary types of enclosure enrichment that are utilized at the OCCQ are emotional and cognitive. Emotional enrichment is provided to the young orangutans who have been emotionally traumatized by the loss of their mothers. The infants and young juveniles are held, cuddled, and caressed to simulate the intimate bond they would have had with their mothers in the wild; baby orangutans physically remain on their mother's body for the first few years of their life and she is the source of all emotional nurturing and attachment in the wild. Female caregivers serve, therefore, as surrogate mothers, by providing emotional security until the young orangutans begin to mature. The use of surrogate caregivers is a critical part of the rehabilitation process because it instills psychological stability and competence in the younger orangutans, increasing the likelihood of successful rehabilitation later on.
 The local Enrichment coordinator, Ibu Mariyanti, and Jessica, Enrichment Intern, hang up a tire hammock for Sam to play with, sleep in and apparently, use as a chew toy. Photo courtesy of OCCQ. |
Enrichment is a very valuable tool for rehabilitation and serves the dual purpose of keeping residents physically active and mentally stimulated while preparing them for life in the wild. It also presents us with an opportunity to study captive orangutan behavior, monitor health and physical condition, and assess rehabilitation progress. Enrichment gives us a chance to be both observers and participants in the ancient and complex process of infant orangutans learning to be successful and independent 'People of the Forest'.
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