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Wingham Wildlife Park opens innovative orangutan walkway

11:34, 28 January 2020

updated: 12:01, 28 January 2020

Kent's first orangutans have a new elevated walkway to explore at Wingham Wildlife Park.

The eye-catching enclosure has been designed to give the inquisitive apes a sense of being in their original habitat - high up in the rainforest canopy.

Park visitors will be able to see the apes as they walk along the corridor
Park visitors will be able to see the apes as they walk along the corridor

Brothers Dayak and Belayan, who recently arrived in Kent, can use the exposed walkway as a corridor linking their indoor area with the outside enclosure.

Park owner Tony Binskin said: "The view from this new canopy trail is absolutely incredible, and the orangutans now have undoubtedly the best view in the park.

"Overlooking acres of orchards in every direction, the whole of the park, traffic in the distance, the birds of prey which hunt in the meadows beyond the orchards and so much more.

"Most importantly they can see all of this from the same position as they would in Borneo - from over five metres high."

Visitors to the park will be able to look up and see the orangutans above their heads as they make their way along the elevated corridor.

Wingham now has four orangutans
Wingham now has four orangutans

Wingham's other two orange apes - Jin and Molly - share the other, separated half of the enclosure.

Mr Binskin said: "Why should the way the animals move around the enclosure be any less engaging than the rest of the enclosure?

"What could have been a relatively short square tunnel at ground level has been taken to a whole new level and allowed the orangutans to move around their home, the same way that they would in the wild."

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