Gambira the Orangutan dresses up in a sack at Paignton Zoo, Devon. Like all teenage girls, Gambira enjoys dressing up. She was so keen on this stylish sack dress that she wore it for several hours. Gambira, 16, is one of five Bornean orang utans at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park in Devon. The sacks were donated to the charity by the Costa Rica Plantation Company of Torquay. Hessian is a natural fibre and so it’s ideal for the animals. Curator of Mammals and Director of Operations Neil Bemment said: “This behaviour is showing both the intelligence and curiosity of orang utans. The keepers cut holes in the sides of the sacks but after that it’s up to the orangs how they use them. It’s great enrichment for them – it stimulates them mentally and physically and tests their dexterity.” The inventive orangs use sacks in other ways, too. “They will use small pieces of fabric to soak up liquids to suck or chew. They also shelter under the sacks as they would giant leaves in the wild, which is practical if it is hot or wet, or if you want a bit of privacy. Getting into a sack is just playful curiosity.”
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