On 19th June 2017, BKSDA informed our field staff that they had just confiscated an orangutan from people who had been keeping it as a pet in a nearby village. This orangutan was entrusted into the care of the Orangutan Foundation.
The male orangutan was named Bumi (which means Earth in English) and was estimated to be about 3 and a half years old.
Our vet checked Bumi’s health and overall condition, which proved quite difficult as he wouldn’t stay still! He was anesthetized as it was vital that he was looked over thoroughly for any injuries or illness.
During the assessment, bullets were discovered in Bumi’s body. We are uncertain of the origin of the bullets, but it is likely a result of people attempting to shoot the mother to obtain the infant.
This, tragically, is how most orangutans enter our Soft-Release Programme.
In total, 7 bullets were removed from Bumi’s body. Bumi was given health supplements, and once he’d recovered from the operation, he was ready to join our Soft-Release Programme.
Bumi was taken to Camp Rasak in the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve, Indonesian Borneo. Here he will be cared for alongside Endut, an orangutan of a similar age also rescued from being kept as a pet last March.
Staff report that since settling in Bumi appears to have a good appetite and has already displayed nest-making skills.
Watch this clip to see Bumi showing off his skills:
Please DONATE today to support the progress of Bumi and the other orangutans currently in our Soft-Release Programme.
