Man I wish America would quit monkeying around with these gadgetbahns

So... It's a commuter ropeway?

As someone who uses the o-line to get to work everyday, im happy you covered our little line!

an elevated line that is somehow still a grade crossing. amazing happy April fools

There is some actual transit history at the National Zoo: At the bird house in the zoo, there is a granite eagle statue, and this eagle is one of the 22 eagles that stood on the original NY Penn Station! Specifically one of the fourteen eagles carved for the roof! The zoo got their hands on a Penn Station eagle because when the original Penn Station was being demolished, Secretary of Smithsonian S. Dillon Ridley and the board negotiated and received it as a gift from the Chairman of the board of the PRR! The eagle temporarily traveled to Montreal for the Expo 67 in Montreal, where it appeared in the US Pavilion. Upon it return, the eagle was placed in front of the Bird House. The original Penn Station eagles have made it to different places across the Northeast, from the Market Street Bridge outside 30th Street Station to Hicksville LIRR, the Skylands botanical garden in Ringwood, NJ, and the Valley Forge Military Academy. As you mentioned, Orangutan is derived from the Malay words orang, meaning "person", and hutan, meaning "forest"! Orangutans have an arm span of about 2.2 m (over 7 ft) from fingertip to fingertip. Considering their standing height is around 1.5 m, this is an impressive reach, especially when their arms are one and a half times longer than their legs and stretch to their ankles when standing as you mentioned! Orangutans mainly eat fruits, such as mangoes, lychees and figs, but they also feed on young leaves, flowers, insects, and even small mammals. Fruit makes up around 60% of an orangutan's diet, but when it’s scarcer they also eat things, like soil and tree bark. Durian is a favorite fruit of orangutans, a fruit that's best known for its stench! When they don't use their strength, Orangutans can use tools like sticks to get termites, ants or bees out of trees. They've also been observed making a glove out of leaves when handling prickly fruits or thorny branches.

Great April Fool's content! Just the sort I like to see, harmless, fun, cute and creative. Good job, Thom! :)

Do they need a Smart Trip Card to ride the O Line? I hope they give them a special fare.

We should start a petition to get them to let Thom ride the O line.

The "keeper on duty to stop traffic on the yellow section" is new since the last time I've been there (admittedly, at least 10 years ago). They used to let people stand right underneath, even when the orangutans were crossing. I asked a keeper about this at the time, and was told "we see no reason to prevent people from standing underneath them." I wonder what has changed...

Thanks Thom for covering this, love all of your content!

I've been bamboozled, a zoo line as youtube video. This is monkey business I can afford to tolerate

Its interesting to see that some zoo's do have interesting systems connecting a larger enclosure system or providing a 360 experience for guests. Philadelphia, my home zoo, is a good example of this

That panda rolling down the hill was definitely having the time of its life! According to a study by University of California, Davis and the California State University, Long Beach, they have concluded why pandas are black and white! Their analysis found that the white fur covering the majority of the animal's body is adapted for camouflage against a snowy background, whilst its dark shoulders and legs provide crypsis in shade. The team concluded that panda coloration is ultimately driven by panda ecology as in because they eat such a poor diet that they never manage to store enough body fat to allow them to hibernate, pandas must constantly prowl for food. Since they are always seeking their next meal, pandas are never able to molt their fur quickly enough, so it matches their background. Thus, they evolved a compromise pattern and coloration of black-and-white fur. Here are some facts about the meerkats and naked mole-rats you saw as well: Meerkats are found in southern Africa. Meerkats are gregarious and have at least ten distinctive vocalizations. Females tend to be more vocal than males. Vocalizations include murmurs, threatening growls and spits, scolding clucks, and a defensive alarm bark. The naked mole-rat is native to the Horn of Africa and is the only member of the Heterocephalidae family. Naked mole-rats are eusocial, meaning they live in large colonies in which only one female breeds and the majority of workers (both males and females) spend their entire lives working for the colony. This is an unusual characteristic for mammals. Colony size averages 70 individuals, but colonies of up to 295 have been observed.

So it's just like the capitol subway except elevated? Are Senators allowed to use it?

That’s still cool! It can be known as a transit line for orangutans even though they have to hold on and walk through it. It’s still really cool to see alright!

Great joke and great information about the Smithsonian being free. Fun fact: I was temporarily stationed in the DC area before I retired. During my time there, I needed to re qualify with my side arm. There’s a firing range underneath the Smithsonian museum. ☮️

O-Line? But this isnt Ottawa!

Are the glass tunnels in aquariums a subway then?

That one made my day! Thanks so much.

O my! You certainly know how to spin a line. Excellent, Thom 🤣

great April fool's video

April fools

This is awesome!!! I’m a long-time subscriber and also a zookeeper and this made my day!!!

This is why I like April 1 I didn't even know about that that's neat. Some thing for me to look for when I go eventually.

Thanks for including "Doors Opening". Also, I had heard that it's smarter to get off at Cleveland Park station when going TO the Zoo as it's a downhill walk. Then use Woodley Park/Zoo on the way home to continue the downhill journey. Thanks for making an April Fools video that still is informative and fun! Have a great day!

I was caught by the wording of your title. DC Transit. That was the name of the DC bus and trolley system 60 years ago.

I just absolutely found this video to be delightful in every way!!! I was so surprised and had no idea about the O-line!!! it is truly one of the most unique transit lines in the world, and thank you for sharing it with all of us!!!!!!!😭😃😭

Tbh I thought this was a legit transit line at first 😂 Pretty creative april fools joke you did here!

That's wild! Thanks for showing us. And I thought this was going to be yet another April Fools joke.

Every man is in search of the evasive o-line.

That's awesome! Thanks for sharing!

You're very lucky to see more than one orangutan on the ropeway!! It's a fun visit.

i find this really unusual and interesting thom im also finaly watching your videos again

Well I guess you could say that different species have to have their rapid transit. That's their rapid transit system.

Now do the tiny railroads at Burke lake park and the other one up in Montgomery county off tuckerman lane or seven locks. They re for kids, of course. And if you're into historical rail transport, there used to be a trolley from Georgetown to Glen Echo where there is a carousel. You can still find remains of the rail line and some of the bridges along Clara Barton parkway and MacArthur boulevard. And there's a street in Georgetown that still has trolley rails laid in the cobblestones.

I rode the Metro once. I was waiting for a train and the escalator has a little flat spot next to it so I sat down. Oh my gosh, a transit cop walked up to me wagging his finger. "Uh.....we don't sit in the Metro. That's not allowed. You'll have to stand up."

One small correction, orangutans all come from the islands of Indonesia and Malaysia today. Historically they ranged much farther throughout Asia.

It's nice to know these creatures don't have to cross stroads to get where they want to go.

Must be the only crossing in the US where the trains don't blow their horns

Oh I’d recognize that mystical red tree wizard anywhere

I wasn't sure what to expect with the title, but now, I know what kind of "public transit" is offered for orangutans at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC! Thanks for the video! I hope you had a happy April Fool's Day!

The O Line 😂😂😂

I don't think that the crossings are closed purely for _safety_ reasons. It's one thing if a bird poops on you, but if a great ape (like an orangutan, chimp or human) poops on you it's MUCH worse.

Scooters come with unique risks, and new injuries. but I wish there was bird or similar here in Toronto. I understand helmets would help a bit, but wrist guards may be essential to reduce injuries.

When I heard the announcement saying "this is a Red Line train to Shady..." I thought it was going to say "Shady Pines".

Charming and funny. Thanks

That’s awesome. Thanks for sharing.

What a tie in 👍🏻Lol.....what if next year you do a Streets and sidewalks tie in ....could be mind exploding stuff !🤯🧠💨

Awesome April fools material here! I thought you were going to talk about the congressional subway but instead we got a line for orangutans to cross!

Very creative Thom 😂

39 seconds in and, as a Maryland native who spent his life growing up around DC, no. I have never taken the O-Line. Only the monkeys can. :) But I have taken the subway under the Capital, that was fun!

BLESS YOU for not pronouncing their name like it rhymed with "bangs." 👍

ottawa has one of these! it runs between ottawa and gatineau. its for people though. great video

Hmm, kinda slow, but good headway, dedicated ROW, and demand-driven frequency. I rate it tops.

and here I thought this one was going to be about politicians. I guess i wasn't too far off tho

I never knew that thing had a name, and I’ve been seeing it since I was a kid

Happy April Fools Thom

Well, I recognized it instantly from the thumbnail...

I haven't ridden the DC Metro for a few years but when did the voice (Doors opening..etc) develop such an attitude?

The best part about this video is that it is technically all true

What a delightful April Fool's Day video!!!!! 🦧🦧🦧🦧🦧

WMATA should mark Woodley Park as a transfer station to the Orang Line

Best April Fool's content I've seen today!

Brilliant video sir! What's ya email address for swapping transport smartcards?

Happy April Fools, Thom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has something like this…

I can only say: cool!

Kyle is Redd's father. I've never seen him cross the O-Line before.

This is very interesting and quite clever for the zoo to build a transit system that allows animals such as orangutans to cross. Anyways Happy April Fools Day and take care

Orangutans are more endangered than Panda bears

Does anyone know what kind of animal is at 1:33? Thom are you good with animals?

The yellow zone if for "Golden Showers"

In my current state, I think I can rival Kyle’s hairdoo

Best gadgetbahn \m/

Surprised they haven’t put congestion tolling in place. Cost 4 Bananas 🍌 each way.

So do the orangutans have to use their SmarTrip? How much is the fare for them? Do they get some sort of reduced fare at least?

There's something similar at the Indianapolis zoo

Oh look! A Monday TRA video! Wait…what’s the date?

I bet you know people with hair like that who are named Kyle! lol

Love this Zoo!

You should check out the Bronx Zoo Monorail.

😂cool... Liked it

This is great

Now I want so see a video about the streetcars. Or have you done it allready and I missed it? That would be kinda embarrassing....

Zipline subway😅

Have you seen Kyle? He's about this tall.

When did you shoot this?

Fun video

Oh great something else to crap on us

I guess the pandas’ visas expired.

When I first saw DC Transit I thought back to the bus line that served DC prior to Metrobus.

😲 🍅 I forgot it was April Fools. 😂 ✌🏾

Good one 😂

Anyone as a kid think it was “Orangatang”?

👍🎯

It's Smokey Bear, not Smokey the Bear.

OK cute April fools joke :)

Wait... "Move to the center of the..." Not "please move to the center of the..."? How rude!

Thiiss iss a reed lline trraain to... Nah, still not a fan of the new announcements on the new trains

Pandas are overrated