The connection between an orangutan mother and her infant is almost unparalleled in the natural world. While other great apes like gorillas and chimpanzees congregate in groups so each one can contribute to parenting in some way, an orangutan infant has up to eight years of one-on-one time with its mother and is therefore totally dependent on her to survive.

In the early stages, every aspect of a young orangutan’s life is catered for by the mother: Travel- They hold onto her as she climbs and swings through the forest. Food- Even when they’ve grown out of breastfeeding, their mother will find the best fruiting trees to keep them well-nourished. Shelter- Every night they’re kept warm and safe up in the forest canopy by a nest that their mother fashions out of branches. It’s why when young orangutans are discovered in the wild or in captivity without their mother, there’s a challenging path to independence that lies ahead for the orphan.

This powerful maternal bond is clear to see when our monitoring team watch female orangutan Queen care for her infant Quentin in the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve. The young male was born two summers ago in the forest surrounding Camp Buluh, and today the pair are ever-present around camp, enabling us to accurately study his development.

Their favourite pastime it seems is to forage for food along the riverbanks. Whether searching for fresh pandan leaves to eat by the water’s edge, or fishing for fallen fruit in the river, Queen will often place Quentin on her head to stay dry as she wades through the water.

It’s an idyllic scene, watching mother and infant gracefully going about their business along the riverbank. However, the recent news of the crocodile attack on male orangutan Brian looms large, so it’s natural for our team to feel a little uneasy of their presence in the water now.

Despite this potential hazard, Queen certainly seems to know what she’s doing. She was one of the first orangutans to be introduced to the protected reserve back in 2003 as a six-year-old, and since then has built a strong legacy of successors. Quentin may be her first son, but previously Queen has raised three females since her release into the wild, so she has a wealth of experience on her side.

While he’s still young, our team will continue to enjoy Quentin’s presence around camp. Each day he spends watching his mother is another day closer to understanding forest life. In the years to come he will gradually learn what it takes to go out and begin his own legacy, but in the meantime, we’re delighted to keeping watching his progress.