Melbourne zoo has denied reports that its orang utans at the zoo were being mistreated.

"The orang utans here get the very best of care, with underfloor heating on the large platforms adjacent to the viewing windows, plus the heated night dens, which they can access on cold days is they wish." said communications manager Judith Henke in defense to the ill-treatment allegations.

Malaysian Palm Oil Council chief executive Yusof Basiron was recently reported to have said his visit to the zoo led to he discovery of the simians in the facility "shivering and making noises" he recognizes as "distress calls".

Bernama reported Yusof as saying that when he visited to the zoo, the orang utans were living in degrading captivity .

NONE Henke said the orang utans’ behavior was nothing strange, even the tendency of orang utans to cover themselves.

"Sometimes they cover themselves with sheets, blankets, etc., but that is a behavior, not a response to cold -they do it in the summer too," she said.

As for the food, which Yusof had also remarked on, Henk said that it was "of a quality that you and I would happily eat."

Henke explained that the negative attention Australia’s zoos were getting was related to the palm oil lobby in Southeast Asia and their efforts to change legislation on the labelling of palm oil manufactured products.

"If you go to our website and check out the pages about 'Don't Palm us Off' you will see why the zoos are attracting negative attention from the palm oil lobby in Southeast Asia," she said.

"Our efforts to change legislation regarding the labelling of palm oil on manufacture products has attracted considerable community attention to the conservation crisis facing orang utans because of the expansion of palm oil plantation at the expense of forests."

Yusof reportedly said he suspected the maltreatment by zoos of orang utans is to win public support in Australia in the campaign against the palm oil industry and the use of palm oil products.

Group slams Melbourne zoo mistreatment of simians