Sacramento Zoo celebrates grand opening of renovated orangutan habitat
The zoo says this unveiling is not only a celebration of the orangutans’ new exhibit, but also a sign of a bright future ahead.
NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS WITHIN THE GRAND GATEWAY PROJECT. RIGHT NOW, THE SACRAMENTO ZOO IS CELEBRATING QUITE AN UPGRADE. THAT’S RIGHT. THE ORANGUTANS HAVE A NEWLY RENOVATED HABITAT IN ERIN HEFT IS AT THE ZOO WITH A LOOK AT THE IMPROVEMENTS AND HOW THOSE CREATURES ARE SETTLING IN. HAVE YOU SEEN THEM OUT THERE? OH, I THINK I SEE ONE. THERE THEY ARE. YEAH. ARE THEY NOT THE CUTEST? OKAY, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A VERY SMALL SCREEN IN THERE TO LOOK AT, BUT THESE ARE THE THREE ORANGUTANS AT THE SACRAMENTO ZOO. 220 SOMETHINGS, 150 YEAR OLD. SO CUTE. I CAN’T TAKE IT. I REALLY CAN’T TAKE IT. OKAY, SO MATT AND KIM, YOU’RE HERE TO ACTUALLY EXPLAIN HOW THIS IMPROVES THEIR LIVES AND LONGEVITY AND REALLY IS JUST, YOU KNOW, QUALITY OF LIFE. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT TODAY. WE’RE CELEBRATING THE GRAND OPENING OF OUR REFURBISHED HABITAT. SO WHAT WE’VE DONE IS WE’VE JUST DONE A TOTAL MAKEOVER, A TOTAL GLOW UP OF THE HABITAT, RIGHT? WE HAVE REALLY FOCUSED THE DESIGN ON MAKING IT A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR THE ORANGUTANS, MATCHING THEIR NATURAL BEHAVIORS, CREATING MORE USABLE SPACE IN THE SAME HABITAT. SO THEY’RE ABLE TO JUST HAVE A LOT MORE VERTICAL USE. AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND US, EXHIBIT A LOT MORE OF THEIR NATURAL BEHAVIORS. WE BASICALLY JUST IMPROVE THE OVERALL WELL-BEING OF THE ANIMALS HERE AT THIS HABITAT, AS WELL AS OUR STAFF’S ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. SO WE HAVE 30S LEFT. CAN WE GO THROUGH THEIR NAMES AGES AND THEN ALSO THE DONORS? OH OF COURSE. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. SO WE HAVE TWO YOUNGER ONES, RIGHT? IN THEIR 20S, 22 YEAR OLD INDAH AND 23 YEAR OLD MACAN ARE BEING MALE AND THEN MUCH OLDER, CLOSER TO MY AGE. SHELLY, AT 54 YEARS OF AGE. AND THIS PROJECT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR DONORS, OUR SUPPORTERS, EVERYBODY THAT’S COME AROUND TO HELP US MAKE THIS HAPPEN. WE COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR DONORS HERE AT THE SACRAMENTO ZOO. MATT, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SUPPORT. ABSOLUTELY. HAPPY HOMECOMING REALLY SAYS IT ALL. THERE’S NO NEED TO LOOK AT ME. LOOK AT THESE GUYS. REALLY AN INCREDIBLE MORNING. YOU GOT TO COME OUT AND SEE IT FOR YOURSELF. THAT’S THE SACRAMENTO ZOO. I’LL SEND IT BACK TO YOU GUYS IN THE STUDIO. THOSE ARE SO COOL. YES, THE PLATFORMS THERE. I LOVE THEM. IT KIND OF LOOK
Sacramento Zoo celebrates grand opening of renovated orangutan habitat
The zoo says this unveiling is not only a celebration of the orangutans’ new exhibit, but also a sign of a bright future ahead.
Updated: 11:08 AM PDT May 22, 2026
It was a big day at the Sacramento Zoo as officials cut the ribbon on a newly renovated habitat for the zoo’s three resident orangutans.Makan, Cheli, and Indah are now exploring their upgraded home, marking the completion of a major capital improvement project at the zoo. Zoo leaders say the renovation is an important step in enhancing the animals’ living spaces and reflects the organization’s continued commitment to animal care.The project was made possible through the support of the community, including more than one thousand donors. Sacramento Zoo officials say those donations are already making a visible impact by helping improve animal habitats across the facility. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
It was a big day at the Sacramento Zoo as officials cut the ribbon on a newly renovated habitat for the zoo’s three resident orangutans.
Makan, Cheli, and Indah are now exploring their upgraded home, marking the completion of a major capital improvement project at the zoo. Zoo leaders say the renovation is an important step in enhancing the animals’ living spaces and reflects the organization’s continued commitment to animal care.
The project was made possible through the support of the community, including more than one thousand donors. Sacramento Zoo officials say those donations are already making a visible impact by helping improve animal habitats across the facility.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google