Orangutans, such as four-year-old Sinta, in a soft-release programme in Lamandau Wildlife Reserve, need to learn all the forest skills required to life an independent life in the wild. Every day, Sinta practices her climbing, foraging, and nest building.

Before joining the soft-release programme, a fisherman reported Sinta crying alone by a river. It was decided by the Reintroduction Manager that she should be brought to a soft-release enclosure at Camp Buluh. Camp staff monitored the riverbank for several days to see if the mother would show, but she never did. Veterinary staff examined Sinta’s health and identified her as a female orangutan at around one-and-a-half-years-old.

Naturally, Sinta needed some time to adapt to her new environment in the soft-release programme. At first, she was afraid of camp staff and would refuse to be taken out of her enclosure. After a while, Sinta started to trust one of the staff and let him take her to a tree. She immediately was able to cling to the tree and tried to climb, showing this is an instinct all orangutans have that does not need to be taught.

Over the years, from practicing repeatedly, Sinta started to show signs she was incredibly talented for her age. She would confidently climb high into the canopy, swing from one tree to another, and competently build multiple nests a day - breaking branches into the ideal nest structure. Sinta would also learn by observing what other orangutans around Camp Buluh were doing and then would try to copy the behaviour herself. Learning through imitation is commonly used amongst orangutans, with infants in the wild learning by copying their mothers.   

Sinta prefers to spend her time eating in the treetops. She is not afraid to try all kinds of forest foods that look appealing to her. Once the food in the tree around her has diminished, or she gets bored, she will move to another tree in search of more wild fruit or leaves to eat.

But that is not all that Sinta eats - she has an affinity for tasting tree bark. She will pull and loosen bark from a tree and then proceed to lick it, bite it, or both. Sometimes there are termites or ants under the bark so, with curiosity, she will often try to eat some of them.

Occasionally, Sinta climbs down to the ground and attempts to find food in the water. She will stir the water around and pull out whatever she finds underneath. If she finds something interesting floating in the water, such as a leaf, she will pick it up and taste it.

Without a mother to guide her in what she should or should not be eating, she has become a keen forager and has adopted the approach of sampling anything she thinks can be eaten. When other orangutans come near Camp Buluh, Sinta pays close attention to what they decide to eat and is often interested in tasting what they are snacking on.

Orangutans are important seed dispersers and, thanks to her highly curious nature, Sinta plays a vital part in contributing to forest regeneration and plant species diversity. 

Watch Sinta foraging for fruit here.