As we bring in the new year, we have been truly humbled to reflect on the incredible impact that you, our supporters, have helped the Orangutan Foundation achieve in 2022. It was hard to fit it all in!

FOR Orangutans

Last year saw us welcome the births of three new orangutans in Lamandau Wildlife Reserve. Mely (daughter of Max), Besti (daughter of Berline) and Sunar (son of Sakura) all joined the growing population of orangutans in the Reserve. Both Besti and Sunar are the third generations of their families since we started monitoring and recording the orangutan populations in Lamandau. Their success is a true testament to how important protected habitats are for this species, giving them the room and resources to thrive in safety. We also announced the promising signs of pregnancy in Acuy at the end of 2022 and we look forward to sharing more positive updates in the coming months.

Satria and Nyunyu were released from our soft-release programme last year. Both Satria and Nyunyu joined us in 2017 after they were rescued from life as pets. Satria can’t resist coming back to camp every so often for playdates with Endut and Ariel and his mischievous streak doesn’t seem to have diminished. Nyunyu quickly took to life in the wild, we haven’t seen much of her since her release, but our team caught sight of her making her way deeper into the rainforest, exploring her new home.

Over the year we also released three rescued orangutans: Batuah and Hasma & Hasan. After medical examinations and an operation for Batuah to clean bullet wounds he had suffered, all of the orangutans were healthy enough to be released back into the wild.

We opened a new wildlife clinic with BKSDA. This provides a lifeline for all rescued animals that have been discovered injured in the wild or in need of treatment after a life in captivity, including Bella the Sun bear. She is still being treated for her wounds from the poacher’s trap we found her in - her wild nature is making her recovery take longer than initially expected. Understandably it’s hard for her to relax in what is a completely unnatural environment to her. Our team will continue to monitor her and administer treatment until she is ready to be returned to the wild. 

In Sumatra, we partnered with local NGO Scorpion Foundation to help save the rarest great ape – the Tapanuli orangutan. The Tapanuli orangutan was only confirmed as its own species in 2017 and there are only about 800 individuals left in the wild. Their preservation is crucial with such dwindling population numbers and we’re proud to have partnered with an organisation that are working on the frontline to protect these orangutans.

For Forests

You have helped us safeguard 6310 acres of rainforest - prime orangutan habitat. Truly incredible! Our habitat protection programme in Lamandau Wildlife Reserve and Tanjung Putting National Park involves carrying out forest and river patrols to deter illegal activity, including logging and mining, responding to burning forest fires and managing our sapling nurseries to replant and restore degraded forest.

Speaking of saplings, we planted 51,000 trees in Lamandau Wildlife Reserve in 2022, covering an area of 30 hectares (or 74 football pitches worth of space). By helping the rainforest to reestablish in degraded areas, we’re regenerating crucial forest habitats, providing flora and fauna species with security for the future.

For people

We continued to build relationships with local communities in Indonesian Borneo and our engagement team were able to host a whole range of events with your support. We welcomed high school students to a Conservation Camp; an overnight Jungle Visit; and to Indonesian Tree Planting Day in Lamandau Wildlife Reserve. These events give us the wonderful opportunity to connect with the next generation of nature’s caretakers and raise awareness on the role of communities in preserving orangutans and their habitat with local communities.

We also hosted a biodiversity workshop for staff of logging and oil-palm concessions (companies who have permits to log or grow plantations). The two-day workshop gave the landowners practical tools and knowledge they need to be monitor biodiversity on their land and a chance to understand the importance of preserving orangutans and local wildlife. Eighty percent of orangutans live outside of protected areas and so it is key that we continue to engage relevant stakeholders in order to reduce human-wildlife conflict.

The Foundation finally hosted our 30 Years of Conservation to Borneo and Sumatra after being delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a wonderful opportunity to share our work with supporters and were grateful to Regina Frey (founder of PanEco) and Dr Ian Singleton OBE (Director of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme) for accompanying us.

With your generosity we raised more than our targets for the Big Green Give to restore Borneo’s rainforest, helping us to grow the next generation of rainforest and keep orangutan habitat standing, and the Christmas Big Give 2022 Appeal to help the 80% of orangutans who live outside of protected areas. You helped us smash past these ambitious targets and we are so incredibly grateful!

To all of our supporters, we thank you. You are helping to provide a future for orangutans, forests and people. We’re looking forward to 2023 with positivity and we can’t wait to share our news with you!