Critically endangered orangutans in Chester zoo fire ‘all accounted for’

The fire service has released a statement

All of Chester zoo's Sumatran orangutans are "accounted for" following a massive fire, according to Cheshire fire and rescue service. The critically endangered species, as well as the other mammals in the monsoon forest habitat where the fire started, are safe. Some 21,000 animals are kept on the site. When the monsoon forest opened in 2015 it was described as "the largest indoor zoo exhibit in UK history." Fire service chiefs said the Sumatran orangutans and mammals there were "all accounted for." As well as the critically endangered orangutans in the monsoon forest there are snakes, crocodiles and macaque monkeys. A spokesperson for Chester zoo said: "We can confirm that the fire brigade is attending a fire in our monsoon forest habitat. "Visitors have been evacuated and asked to leave the zoo as teams work to bring the situation under control. The zoo's animal teams are working to move all animals away from the incident. The zoo also said its response team was working with emergency services to "bring the situation under control" but because of the fire it was closed.