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Construction has begun on the new exhibit scheduled to open at the Omaha Zoo in 2005 - Orangutan Forest. Orangutan Forest will include outdoor areas and a renovated indoor area. Watch the construction progress by taking a ride on the new elevator! During the construction of the new Orangutan Forest, check out the Omaha Zoo's orangutans in Hubbard Gorilla Valley.

Ingersoll1978 wrote:A tripod will help a lot with the fuzziness. Good pictures though.

Henry Doorly Zoo wrote: Two New Species of Lemur Discovered by Scientists at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo

Officials at the zoo today announced the coming publication in the December 2005 issue (volume 26, no. 6) of the International Journal of Primatology of two new species of Sportive Lemurs described by Dr. Edward Louis head of the Genetics Department of the Grewcock Center for Conservation and Research Center at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo (HDZ).

The two new species are located in very different forest types- in the rain forest of the east coast and in the dry forest of the west coast. The east coast species, Seal's Sportive Lemur or Lepilemur seali, is named in honor of Ulysses S. Seal III, former chairman of the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG) of the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The west coast species, Mitsinjo Sportive Lemur or Lepilemur mitsinjonensis, is named after the region.

Dr. Louis, Project Coordinator of HDZ's Madagascar Biodiversity and Biogeography Project has been leading an extensive collaboration in conservation genetics with Madagascan wildlife agencies, conservation organizations and the University of Antananarivo since 1998. Dr. Louis and his team have taken genetic (DNA) samples from over 1,800 lemurs that were captured and then released back into the wild.

Madagascar is considered one of the most diverse and ecologically important regions in the world. Lemurs are only found in Madagascar and are considered extremely endangered due to the pressures of human encroachment and loss of habitat. Madagascar has lost approximately 11 million hectares (27 million acres) of its forest cover in the last 20 years. However, President Marc Ravalomanana has pledged to increase the amount of protected forest area over the next five years from approximately 1.5 million hectares to 5 million hectares.

Dr. Lee G. Simmons, Director of Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo said "The discovery of any new species is noteworthy, the discovery of two new primate species is extraordinarily significant to science and conservation. We are very proud of Dr. Louis and his team's accomplishments."

OmahaChannel.com wrote: Omaha Ape Moves To Des Moines
Knobi Arrives From Omaha Zoo

DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Great Ape Trust of Iowa welcomed its newest addition Tuesday.

Knobi, a 25-year-old orangutan, arrived from the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Neb. Knobi is being quarantined to make sure she has a peaceful transition to her new home.

Knobi will join Azy, another orangutan that already lives at the center. Azy's sister Indah died in November from a terminal medical condition. Azy and Indah came to the Great Ape Trust from the Smithsonian Zoo in Washington, D.C.

Azy and Knobi will help scientists at Great Ape Trust learn more about how apes communicate.

Omaha World Herald wrote:A portion of Orangutan Forest, complete with three waterfalls and a troop of langur monkeys, opens to the public at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

Omaha World Herald wrote:The rest of Orangutan Forest, including a naturalistic indoor environment, opens in August.

Natural habitat? Lots of concrete trees with glass elevators in Sumatra?

Omaha World Herald wrote:At the opening ceremony for the new Orangutan Forest, zoo director Dr. Lee Simmons said the Hubbard family will help double the space allotted for research on conservation and genetics.