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The Stone Caper

Orangutan Games

By roy SlezakPublished 3 years ago 5 min read
2
The Fugitive

The Instigator: Resse 6-7-years-old, Reddish-Brown Hair, 4' 3" tall female,

The Fugitive: Rubi, 20-years-old female, 5', straight reddish hair,

The Witness: Roy Slezak, an old guy with a camera, 5'7", Gray Hair, always smiling.

The Instigator: Reese 6-7-years-old, Reddish-Brown Hair, 4' 3" tall female,

The Fugitive: Rubi, 20-years-old female, 5', straight reddish hair,

The Witness: Roy Slezak, an old guy with a camera, 5'7", Gray Hair, always smiling.

I must preface this story by saying that I am not a trained animal observer but have a fascination with the great apes. I am convinced from my observations that the Orangutan is among the smartest primates of our earth.

I have observed them and a particular Orangutan for about 8 years now and have developed a friendship with Rubi who is about 24 at this writing. Rubi was an entertainer at 6 flags but was sent to the zoo when other Orangutans were introduced to the act and Rubi began biting.

Some of the behaviors I observed were probably behaviors she learned previously, but her responses to me and almost no one else showed that I gained her respect. How I did that is another story for another time.

To me, Rubi is one of a kind. She is funny, temperamental, has a sense of humor, and is creative. Her behaviors are much like a small child most of the time, but you can see the adult come through as well.

My interactions with Rubi have inspired me to write a book about those interactions and I will be completing that book in a short while. This story is an example of the stories that will be included in the book about Rubi.

Visitors are always amazed that she will do what I ask her to do. They often ask if I work for the zoo and when I tell them I do not work for the zoo they are more amazed that we have such a friendship.

Following is a short story about one of Rubi’s episodes of shenanigans.

Orangutans are mischievous creatures at times. Rubi, my female buddy at the ABQ Bio Park is no different.

On several occasions, while I was at the viewing window with Rubi, the 7-year-old, Reese would dig up a stone and hand it to Rubi, knowing that she would pound on the window with the stone.

This day Rubi received a rather large stone from Reese and as usual, started to pound on the window. This time, however, she was pounding extra hard.

I could usually get her to stop as Rubi and I had a rapport, and she would usually listen to me. I kept telling her that the keepers were going to put her in jail (meaning her cage in the rear of the enclosure), but she ignored my request and continued to pound the window with the stone as Reese stood by watching.

For fear that she would eventually break the window, the zookeepers showed up and started to call the troop in. Rubi knew that she was in trouble and was the last to respond to the calls.

As she walked toward the keepers, she hid the stone behind her back and sneakily dropped the stone without missing a beat. As Rubi approached the keepers it was obvious that she didn't have the stone with her.

The keepers coaxed Tonka, the male, and who is said to be the smartest of the orangutans there to go fetch the stone. Knowing there was a treat involved Tonka obliged and gathered up the stone and took it back to the keepers.

Eventually, the orangutans were let back into the habitat minus Rubi who was kept inside for the remainder of the day.

I looked at this episode as an example of how smart these creatures really are and laughed all the way home and gained a new chapter for my book about Rubi and her adventures and interactions with me.

Orangutans are mischievous creatures at times. Rubi, my female buddy at the ABQ Bio Park is no different.

On a number of occasions, while I was at the viewing window with Rubi, the 7-year-old, Reese would dig up a stone and hand it to Rubi, knowing that she would pound on the window with the stone.

This particular day Rubi received a rather large stone from Reese and as usual, started to pound on the window. This time, however, she was pounding extra hard.

I could usually get her to stop as Rubi and I had a rapport and she would usually listen to me. I kept telling her that the keepers were going to put her in jail (meaning her cage in the rear of the enclosure), but she ignored my request and continued to pound the window with the stone as Reese stood by watching.

For fear that she would eventually break the window, the zookeepers showed up and started to call the troop in. Rubi knew that she was in trouble and was the last to respond to the calls.

As she walked toward the keepers she hid the stone behind her back and sneakily dropped the stone without missing a beat. As Rubi approached the keepers it was obvious that she didn't have the stone with her.

The keepers coaxed Tonka, the male, and who is said to be the smartest of the orangutans there to go fetch the stone. Knowing there was a treat involved Tonka obliged and gathered up the stone and took it back to the keepers.

Eventually, the orangutans were let back into the habitat minus Rubi who was kept inside for the remainder of the day.

I looked at this episode as an example of how smart these creatures really are and laughed all the way home and gained a new chapter for my book about Rubi and her adventures and interactions with me.

wild animals
2

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