Indonesian zoo aims to stub out orangutan's smoking habit

Indonesian zoo aims to stub out orangutan's smoking habit

www.guardian.co.uk

Tori learned to smoke 10 years ago by imitating zoo visitors, who would throw their cigarette butts into her open cage. She has been smoking ever since, according to activists. They say that she holds up two fingers to her mouth to insinuate she wants a smoke, and becomes angry and throws things if none are readily available.

(visit the link for the full news article)

It makes sense, I suppose, that zoo keepers will want to provide a healthy environment for their animals even to the point of wanting to discourage unhealthy habits but, c'mon, they let Tori get hooked in the first place. It's apparent Tori enjoys a smoke, even to the point of demanding her cigarettes, so it seems rather cruel to take away a favorite pasttime. What are they offering Tori as a replacement? Other zoos give their orangutans video games to play but that doesn't seem to be an option offered to Tori. I suppose somebody might just consider video games another addictive habit.

www.usatoday.com...

Four-year-old Bernas isn't the computer wizard his mom is, but he's learning. Just the other day he used his lips and feet to play a game on the touch-screen monitor as his mom, Madu, swung from vines and climbed trees. The two Sumatran orangutans at Zoo Atlanta are playing computer games while researchers study the cognitive skills of the orange and brown primates.

In one game, orangutans choose identical photographs or match orangutan sounds with photos of the animals — correct answers are rewarded with food pellets. Another game lets them draw pictures by moving their hands and other body parts around the screen. Printouts of their masterpieces are on display in the zoo. "He can't get enough!"

Being held in captivity and put on display in front of tourists with their kids, it just seems natural Tori might want to have some relaxation, light up a smoke, and let the day pass by. I suppose they just want her to act like a monkey, carry out some amusing antics, and ape the behaviors of others, but orangs share a great deal of DNA with their human counterparts and share a lot of social activities with us when they can, and the article goes on to state that 70% of Indonesians over the age of 20 are smokers, so it just seems natural she would adopt some of our habits. It could be worse though, orangs have been said to engage in other human activities. They seem to recognize pretty women:

en.wikipedia.org...-Payne_8-7

Some folk tales involve orangutans mating with and kidnapping humans. There are even stories of hunters being seduced by female orangutans.

Male orangutans have been claimed to display sexual attraction to human women to the point of rape. The cook of noted primatologist Birutė Galdikas was claimed to have been raped by an orangutan. According to reporter Carole Jahme, rape "was almost the fate of Julia Roberts" when she was seized by a male orangutan before being freed by the film crew.

So given the possibilities smoking doesn't seem all that bad. Maybe someone might have an old X-Box they can donate to Tori while he kicks her habit. Perhaps someone can give her a computer to go online, or given their other propensities perhaps that may not be a good idea just in case she too might be a closet predator and seductress. Maybe she could become an ATS member, or perhaps already is. Who knows?

www.guardian.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Dateline - guardian.co.uk, Thursday 5 July 2012 09.52 BST

How is this breaking news?

Originally posted by definity
How is this breaking news?

Originally posted by definity
How is this breaking news?

Nobody said it was. But to be honest, I never heard of this orangutan smoking before now. Thought they had more sense than that really. And Julia Roberts almost getting raped by one? News to me. Maybe I should pay attention to the news more.........................................................Nah.

It's more about how go about this "habit" Tori has. Maybe the zoo is being pressured by animal rights activists, even though that culture doesn't seem to frown on smoking the way others do.

If they want to replace one habit with another, take away the smokes and give Tori ATS instead.

That'll teach him to get hooked on things.

Blimey, the poor thing is effectively in a prison. Let her smoke..

We even give flamin' asylum seekers free smokes, before they give them free housing, free education and free schooling, free internet, free food, free clothing and free freedom.


Surely they can give a orangutan a ciggy...

Here again it seems is a case of picking up our bad habits from our parents and others around us. From the OP article:

Tori may be Indonesia's most famous smoking orangutan, but she is not the only one. Tori's parents were also smokers and many more of Indonesia's zoo-based orangutans are thought to be hooked on the habit, says Hardi Baktiantoro of COP (Centre for Orangutan Protection - www.orangutanprotection.com...). The creatures' 97% genetic similarity to humans means that they will often mimic and take on behaviours similar to ours – sometimes to their detriment.

It would appear though that Tori's new cellmate disapproves of her habit and is taking active steps to discourage her. Roommates can be such a pain. This might be reason enough for her to welcome the island getaway her keepers have planned. Who knows what else Didik is demanding?

So far, Tori's partner Didik – who is new to the zoo – has not yet taken up smoking, preferring instead to stamp out butts whenever they are thrown into the cage that he and Tori share.

I believe this is Tori and then her late parent Toni in the next shot at the doorway to their home. I'm amazed to see her lighting a cigarette off the butt of another at the end of the segment. As a long time smoker I can relate to them. Amusing video, less than one minute.