BANIR

The structural enrichment of a hanging tire inside the cage of Banir and her mother, Benazir, was recently repaired by the animal keepers. However, shortly after the repair, the tire broke again. This time, the culprit was Benazir, who swung on the tire with such force that the supporting rope snapped. This incident left Banir, who loved playing and swinging on the tire, visibly upset. The tire she used to play with now lay on the floor of the enclosure.

Despite her disappointment, Banir didn’t give up. Instead of waiting for the animal keepers to fix the swing, Banir attempted to repair it herself. With great determination, she pulled on the tire’s rope and climbed to the top of the enclosure, trying to rehang the tire in its original place. Her persistent efforts, however, always ended in failure because she couldn’t tie the rope properly. Nevertheless, Banir never stopped trying, even though the tire kept falling every time she attempted to hang it back up.

After several failed attempts, Banir finally gave up temporarily. However, she didn’t lose her creativity. The tire lying on the floor became her new toy. Banir found new ways to use it—grabbing it, tossing it around, and eventually arranging leaves inside it to create a makeshift resting place. The tire became a sort of temporary bed for Banir, who seemed content lying inside it, even though she surely still missed her favorite swing. This incident not only demonstrated Banir’s ingenuity but also her perseverance and creativity in solving problems.

Another interesting interaction was observed when Banir extended her hand through the bars of her cage. This activity was often seen in the afternoons, especially when Rosi’s group and the others were in the corner of their cage adjacent to Banir’s.

With curiosity, Banir approached Rosi’s group’s cage and extended her hand through the bars. The response from Rosi’s group was positive—they reciprocated with gentle touches. Although this interaction was limited to hand touches, it created an impression that Banir was inviting Rosi’s group to play.

Rosi’s group consists of infant orangutans aged 1–2 years, who are naturally very active and curious. The hand-touching interaction between Banir and the group might be a simple form of communication, showing Banir’s strong social instincts.