Since the renovation of the Monkey House started in December 2009 and the Basel orangutans group moved to Gelsenkirchen Zoo in Germany, no orangutans were kept in Basel Zoo. But after two years of construction a new group of orangutans is being formed, supported by the coordinator of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP). On July 31 a pair arrived from Amnéville Zoo in France, together with a single young male from Berlin on August 2. Another arrival of another three orangutans, two young females from Leipzig Zoo and one young male from Chester Zoo, is expected soon. The group of six individuals will be housed in the new enclosure sponsored by a well-known pharmaceutical company. The new large enclosure, with its spacious outdoors facility, will officially open on September 28.
(Source: Basel Zoo, 08.08.2012)