Help save orangutans and their forest home and own a piece of unique art! Bid online now for our beautiful and unique orangutan, ‘Spirit of Indonesia’, which is part of Jungle City Edinburgh 2011.
The design is based on traditional Indonesian batik entwined with the biodiversity of the orangutan’s rainforest habitat.
Proceeds from the auction of Spirit of Indonesia will support our vital work.
Happy bidding and good luck!
Here are a few photos of Kevin and Bobby, the two Bornean orangutans who are now back in Borneo after being returned from Sumatra.The internet connection in Pangkalan Bun, Borneo has been very poor and unreliable -Pak Tigor, the OrangutanReintroduction Manager managed to send these through.
Kevin and Bobby come off the plane into Pangkalan Bun, after a change over in Jakarta.
Cargo crates in the airport shed before being taken by pick up truck to the local givernment facility. Not that you can see them very well but both orangutans were unfazed by their journey.
Hopefully there will be more to follow of their final journey into the swamp forest of Borneo over the next few days. Thank you Pak Tigor for your persistence and patience in sending them through!
Please help us to ensure that Kevin and Bobby remain in the wild by supporting our work in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve. You can donate here.
Press Release
Wednesday 21st September 211
Back to Borneo
Endangered Bornean orangutans return home from Sumatra.
Two orangutans, which started their life in the wilds of Borneo, but ended up as pets in Sumatra have returned home.
Kevin and Bobby, are male Bornean orangutans. Their mothers were almost certainly killed at the time of their capture in Borneo (probably whilst their habitat was being clear-felled) and their previous “owners” obtained them in Borneo before returning home to the island of Sumatra. Fortunately for both Kevin and Bobby, they were subsequently rescued by the Indonesian government’s local Nature Conservation department (PHKA) and staff of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (implemented by the Swiss based PanEco Foundation and the Indonesian Yayasan Ecosystem Lestari and PHKA). Under Indonesian law it is illegal to keep orangutans as pets and to trade, harm or kill them. Kevin was rescued in 2006, aged a little over 2 years and Bobby in 2009 aged around 3 or 4 years old.
Bobby above and below - male Bornean orangutan
Under the care of SOCP at the Batu Mbelin Orangutan Quarantine Centre near Medan, North Sumatra, both orangutans grew, gained weight and had excellent health. They were therefore very much ready for a return to a life in the wild. To do this, however, they had to be returned to the island of their birth. Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) and Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) are nowadays recognized by scientists as being two distinct and separate species. As such, Bornean orangutans must only be released on Borneo, and Sumatrans on Sumatra. Mixing the species on the two islands would be detrimental to the genetic viability of both species’ wild populations.
Kevin - male Bornean orangutan
The Sumatran orangutan is already listed as Critically Endangered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), and the Bornean as Endangered. In fact there are estimated to be only around 50,000 Bornean orangutans left in the wild and as few as only 6,600 or so Sumatrans. The future for both is therefore already precarious enough.
For the above reasons, Dr Ian Singleton, Director of Conservation for the PanEco Foundation and head of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, approached the Orangutan Foundation, a UK registered charity, to help get the two young orangutans back to where they belonged thus contributing to the long term conservation of the Bornean orangutans, “Kevin and Bobby deserve the chance to be wild orangutans once again and we have done everything we can to make sure it happens. If we can at the same time highlight the plight of orangutans on both islands and remind people that it is illegal in Indonesia to keep them as pets then that would be an added bonus.” said the British born expert.
The Orangutan Foundation’s work is focused towards Central Kalimantan, in the Indonesia part of Borneo. In collaboration with the Indonesian government’s local Nature Conservation department (PHKA), the Orangutan Foundation runs a release site for rehabilitated and trans-located wild orangutans in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.
On Saturday 17 September, the Orangutan Foundation team including their vet, Dr Fikri, flew to Medan, where the two orangutans were being kept together. On Monday, after final checks, Kevin and Bobby began their journey home. First they flew to Jakarta, on the island of Java. Both orangutans seemed fine and not too stressed after the first flight and the Orangutan Foundation’s vet gave them some fruit. They then flew onto Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo. On arrival, back home in Borneo, both orangutans looked out curiously from their cargo crate. The Australian Orangutan Project, partners of both organisations, kindly agreed to help fund the cost of bringing the two orangutans home.
Kevin and Bobby are currently resting and then they will undergo some additional final pre-release medical checks at a local government facility. They will then complete the final leg of their journey, by river on a longboat, to the 76,000 hectare.
Once at the reserve they will again be housed for a few more weeks in a large cage, but this time deep in the forest that they will soon be free to explore. This is to allow them to really rest up after all the travelling and to acclimatize to their new surroundings, the swamp forests of Borneo.
Their health and behaviour will continue to be closely monitored by Orangutan Foundation’s vet and once given the all clear and when the time is right, they will finally be freed and get their chance to live as wild orangutans once again. Even then, the OF team will continue to follow them and monitor their behaviour and health until such time they are confident they will survive with little or no more intervention.
The principle threat to wild orangutans on both islands is habitat loss, mostly as forests are cleared for conversion to agriculture, especially vast, monoculture oil palm plantations. Many of the orangutans in these forests die or are killed in the process. Some of the lucky ones manage to survive and end up as illegal pets. The luckiest of them all survive long enough to be confiscated and placed in a rescue centre, and are eventually returned to a life in the wild.
The general public can help support the Orangutan Foundation’s work in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve at http://www.orangutan.org.ukor 020 7724 2912.
For more information, high resolution images, or to arrange an interview,
call Cathy Smith on +44 (0)20 7724 2912 or email cathy@orangutan.org.uk
Notes to editors:
Orangutans are only found on two islands, Borneo and Sumatra and they are classified as two distinct species reflecting this geographic distribution.
Sumatran orangutans are critically endangered with only about 6,600 in the wild. Bornean orangutans are endangered with only about 50,000 remaining.
The Sumatra Orangutan Conservation Programme is a collaborative programme implemented by the Swiss based PanEco Foundation, Indonesia’s Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari (Foundation for a Sustainable Ecosystem) the Indonesian Government’s Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature
The Orangutan Foundation works in collaboration with The Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation of the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia (Ditjen PHKA).
The Orangutan Foundation is the UK representative of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme.
'Spirit of Indonesia' is our beautiful orangutan that has been hand painted by Scottish artisit, Lex McFadyen. It is part of Scotland's biggest ever outdoor art exhibition - Jungle City Edinburgh 2011 run by the charity, Elephant Family. Online bidding for the sculptures begins on 22nd September until 2nd October 2011. Proceeds from the auction of 'Spirit of Indonesia' will go to the Orangutan Foundation.
'Spirit of Indonesia' in St Andrew Square - Lex’s intricate design was inspired by traditional Indonesian batik motif into which he entwined the biodiversity of the orangutan’s rainforest habitat.
Our utmost thanks go to Paterson Arran, the Scottish food manufacturers, who have sponsored Spirit of Indonesia.
Own a unique piece of art (Spirit of Indonesia) and help save orangutans!
Follow this link to view fascinating video footage, by the Wildlife Research Center of Kyoto University, taken of a wild orangutan building a nest at Danum Valley, Sabah (Malaysian Borneo).
Last week we said we'd put up some images from Tanjung Puting National Park and surrounding areas, (Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo). Here are a few recent ones all of which were taken during June's Conservation Tour and Reading University's field visit in July.
Dyok - dominant male at Pondok Tanggui by Jenny Aundrews
Stork-billed kindfisher on the Sekonyer River Tanjung Puting National Park by Lynda Gent
Hornbill on the Sekonyer River by Jenny Aundrews
Tanjung Harapan village school on the boundary of Tanjung Puting National Park.
A royal gift for the school from one of the tour participants! (sorry about the quality)
Hitching a ride!
Reading University field trip to Tanjung Puting National Park's Pondok Ambung Tropical Forest Research Station.
Pak
From left to right: Head of Tanjung Puting National Park, Pak Gunung Sinegar with Dr Mark Fellowes from Reading University and Orangutan Foundation Programme Co-ordinator Pak Hudi D Wuryanto.
I'd like to share with you a lovely story... In October 2000, I went to Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo to join the Orangutan Foundation Volunteer Programme . Back then, illegal logging of the national park was in full flow and because of this our group of 12 volunteers found it hard to keep our spirits up. The whole reality of the situation came crashing down on us one day when we heard that an injured orangutan had been found close to where we were working.
Bankal in 2000 just after he was found.
Bankal, a sub-adult male aged about 11 years old, was found injured and weak. He had an open wound across his face and a horrible burn down the side of his face and neck. The cause of his injuries was all too clear, boiling oil had been thrown over him by illegal loggers. No one else would have done this. It is probably one of the most heartbreaking things I have ever witnessed. He was rushed to the Orangutan Care Centre and Quarantine Facility, run by Orangutan Foundation International, where he was given emergency surgery.
Despite all he went through, Bankal remained incredibly gentle and trusting. During his recuperation, he developed a unique way of protecting himself from annoying insects, by using a blanket to cover his injured face. He would lift the blanket to allow people to feed him.
Sadly, this was not the first tragic encounter Bankal had had with humans. It is likely that his mother was killed when he was still an infant. He was caught, and may have been sold into the illegal pet trade. Luckily he was discovered and confiscated by the Indonesian Authorities. He then began the long, slow process of rehabilitation. Bankal was a quick learner and his gentle, intelligent manner made him a favourite with everyone who cared for him. He was first released into Tanjung Puting National Park and he became more and more independent and rarely needed to come to the feeding station.
Bankal recovered from his burn injuries and he was eventually released again in 2003, but this time into the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve. This June, almost 11 years after my first encounter with Bankal, I unexpectedly saw him again – this time in much happier circumstances. I was leading a group of our supporters, from Steppes Discovery, which had been given permission by the Agency for Natural Resources Conservation (BKSDA) to visit the reserve for the afternoon. As we walked through the forest an Orangutan Foundation staff member pointed out an orangutan on the forest floor. It was hard to make him out but when they said it was Bankal my heart jumped. I was so thrilled to meet him again and see what a beautiful, magnificent adult male he had grown into.
Bankal in 2011 - photo by Jenny Aundrews
I am confident that Bankal will spend the rest of his life in the wild. His habitat is being protected and this we owe him. With a new vet programme in place we continue to monitor the orangutans that have been released. With local communities, the Agency for Natural Resources Conservation and a local NGO, Yayorin we are safeguarding the future of this reserve for orangutans, forests and people.
Please consider a donation to help us continue our vital work.
Thank you,
Cathy
Orangutan Foundation
Two of the three Orangutan Conservation Tours that we run with Steppes Discovery each year have now finished leaving the last one departing in September. Ruby, who joined the first trip in June and kept the group entertained with her yoga poses and cartoon drawings, wrote the piece below for Latest 7 magazine, www.thelatest.co.uk/7 . We thought we'd share it with you... Orang-utan Holiday
It has taken me several days to come down from my visit to Borneo. I am completely orangutaned out. When I say that I was reading the same book on the plane back as the one I had started when flying out, and that the large bottle of gin L and I bought in Dubai was hardly touched at the end of the two weeks, it will give you some idea of how action packed this holiday was.
As we swanned up and down the Sekonyer river in a local boat (klotok) we were not allowed to just lie back and enjoy the surrounding jungle of the Tanjung Puting National Park. We had to look for proboscis and macaque monkeys in the trees and try and identify the various brightly coloured birds and admire the storks , geese and ducks that flew overhead. Our guide, a beautiful young Indonesian man with high cheek bones and thick glossy black hair, had incredible eye sight and could see and identify a hornbill at five hundred yards, whereas I had trouble seeing it when we sailed past.
At Camp Leakey the ex-captive orangutans were cheeky and not at all frightened of humans. Watching a mother swing through the trees with a tiny baby clinging to her back was just incredible. Later we were privileged to be able to visit the Lamandau (Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve) reserve where orangutans are released or relocated and see the various community projects which help to protect the rain forest by teaching the local people to earn a living other than by logging or mining.
One day we had a five hour tramp through the jungle, tripping up on tree roots, sinking into bogs and teetering along tree branches like bad trapeze artists. We were all geared up with rucksacks, water bottles, mosquito repellent and trousers tucked into our socks(against the leeches) while our lissom guide scampered ahead in flip flops! It was magic when we managed to see some wild orangutans high up in the trees but I have never sweated so much in my life. No time for a gin before collapsing into bed that night.
All the creepy crawlies seemed to be so much bigger in Indonesia - ferocious red ants a good inch long, flying geckos and stick insects with large gossamer wings, cicadas which sounded like chain saws. I think that between us L and I were lucky to get away with only experiencing two leeches, one tummy bug and multiple mossie bites. This has been one of the most exciting, uplifting and exhausting holidays ever.
Next week we'll share some beautiful images taken in Tanjung Puting National Park.
Orangutan Foundation member, Jacha continues to raise vital fund and awareness for us through his wonderful art. Jacha’s latest activities involved a week-long visit to Merchiston Castle School, in Edinburgh. Jacha, a full-time artist, is passionate about conservation and has a great love of animals. A trip with the Orangutan Foundation to Borneo had a deep affect on him and inspired his collection of orangutan paintings, which have sold worldwide. He has his own gallery space in the Alpine Coffee Shop and Gallery, Betws-y-Coed, North Wales.
Photo above: Jacha and students.
The Merchiston school were thrilled to have Jacha for the week, taking art classes and speaking at the School assembly. Jacha spent much time in the Art Centre, where his enthusiasm rubbed of on the pupils and staff alike.
Jacha also painted one of his 'orangutan' portraits so all were very interested to watch the piece evolve over two days. During Jacha's stay he spoke to the Fourth and Sixth Form about threats to orangutan habitat and hightlighted the impacts of the palm oil industry.
The School also hosted ‘An Evening with Artist Jacha Potgieter’ which included dinner and live music for parents, Sixth Form pupils and staff. The school and Jacha raised £1,500 for the Orangutan Foundation - a fantastic effort all ro
und!
Photo above: An evening with Jacha
A huge thank you to the school and Jacha for making a difference and raising vital funds and awareness.
Thanks for your support!
Orangutan Foundation
View video footage of the orangutans twins (Sumatran orangutans give birth to twins) born at the start of 2011 to blind parents from our partners, the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme. Help the valuable work of this centre by adopting Wenda.
Thank you!
Orangutan Foundation
In November 2010, the Orangutan Foundation and the Indonesian Government’s local Agency of Conservation of Natural Resources rescued a very young Malaysian sunbear. Sunbears are the world’s smallest bear and their survival in the wild is threatened by habitat loss and commercial hunting.
The sunbear, named Gemini, was taken to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, a protected area of forest located on the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. When the Orangutan Foundation’s vet, first weighed Gemini he was only 3kg and with him being so young there was some doubt as to how successful efforts would be to return him to the wild.
So far these concerns have not materialised and Gemini is thriving. In early June, his weight reached 11 kg - a significant increase since he was first rescued.
The least studied of all the bear species, there are many myths about sunbears. They are notoriously aggressive, with large sharp claws and so one of the Foundation’s main concerns was the potential for future human/bear conflicts. To minimise this risk Gemini only interacts with one member of the charity’s staff and it is hoped that if Gemini was to encounter humans later on he will shy away .
The Orangutan Foundation has established a daily routine for Gemini to increase his chance of survival in the wild. Each morning after his breakfast Gemini is led into the forest to play. The staff joke that he is naughty as he regularly ignores his carer’s calls and runs off with his carer struggling to follow.
This incredible bear is well-adapted to climbing trees but even the staff were surprised, and anxious, to see how high Gemini climbs. Initially staff tried to encourage him down but their efforts were in vain and Gemini came down in his own time.
To encourage Gemini’s foraging skills honey is sprayed into holes in tree trunks and onto fallen and rotten branches. This is to encourage Gemini to get the taste and look for honey in the forest. Sunbears have the longest tongues of all bear species which is especially useful for getting to honey and insects.
Once tired of playing in the forest, Gemini is brought back to camp where he is given food and milk. After that he is taken to the river for swimming lessons.
At the end of the day Gemini is put back into his holding cage to rest – according to the field assistant who looks after him Gemini’s tired eyes seem to say "I want to rest - sweet dreams. I'll see you tomorrow morning and we can play together again in the forest".
Since 2000, more than 160 orangutans and other threatened wildlife species including clouded leopards and sunbears have been released into the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.
Help support our work by donating to our 20th anniversary appeal - 20/20 Vision of a Future...for Orangutans, Forests and People
Thank you!
Staff at a Sumatran orangutan sanctuary have a unique double celebration in their hands with the birth of rare twin infants to parents who are both completely blind and lucky to be alive.
Twins’ mother Gober lost her sight to cataracts and was rescued in 2008 by the Sumatra Orangutan Conservation Programme after her blindness forced her to raid crops, risking almost certain death from villagers.
Father Leuser, confiscated as an illegal pet and released fit and well into the wild in Bukit Tigapulah National Park, strayed outside park boundaries and was shot by villagers. He was found with 62 air rifle wounds with three pellets lodged in his eyes.
The twins were born last Friday (January 21) at the Batu Mbelin orangutan quarantine centre near Medan in North Sumatra where both adults are in long term care, after staff lifted their normal breeding ban to improve quality of life for elderly Gober, now well over 40.
“We try to prevent orang-utans breeding until after they are released to the wild, but this was not an option for Gober,” said Ian Singleton, Director of Conservation for the Swiss based Pan Eco Foundation.
“ We felt having an infant would enrich her existence. Rather than being bored, Gober now has the full time responsibility of her infants, not just one but two of them.”
Mother and babies, a boy and a girl named ‘Ganteng’ (handsome) and ‘Ginting’ ( a popular local name), are doing well under careful staff supervision, he reports. For the time being Leuser is being kept separate although he could meet his offspring later in the year.
‘Twins are not unheard of but they are certainly not common and relatively few zoos will have experience of it. The fact that both parents are blind this makes it a doubly special event.”
And long term? Ian hopes that both infants will eventually be released to a life in the wild, something denied to both their parents.
“Despite their handicaps, both Gober’s and Leuser’s genes will be given a second chance to contribute to conservation of their species in the wilds of Sumatra.”
Sumatran orangutans now number only 6,600 in the wild. They are listed as ‘critically endangered’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, facing loss of rainforest, mostly converted to oil palm plantations, and frequently killed during forest clearance or as pests if they raid crops.
Editors Notes:
Anyone wanting to help Gober, Leuser and their twins, and many others in Sumatra can do so by making a donation to the Orangutan Foundation in the UK or PanEco Foundation via:
www.orangutan.org.uk (Reference: SOCP)
Further details and high resolution images:-
Ashley Leiman,Director - Orangutan Foundation.
020 7724 2912 info@orangutan.org.uk
Ian Redmond OBE, Chairman of the Ape Alliance, delivered an open letter to the Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg earlier this week. The letter urges Cameron and Clegg to ensure necessary measures for the mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) are finalised at the UN climate change conference in Cancun, Mexico.
Above and below, Nick, the Orangutan Foundation's mascot, helps to deliver a letter to the Prime Minister with two other apes a gorilla and human, Ian Redmond - Photo by Nico Dattani
In freezing weather Ian Redmond arrived outside Number 10, with volunteers dressed as an orangutan and gorilla, traveling on i-Scoot electric scooters to demonstrate that environmentally friendly, sustainable personal transportation is a part of the solution.
Don’t missed the Hope 4 Apes event, on Monday 6th December, at The Lyceum. Ian Redmond will speak alongside Sir David Attenborough, Dr Jane Goodall DBE, Chanee (Aurélien Brulé), Dr Birute Galdikas and Dr Jo Thompson. All ape species being discussed are either endangered or critically endangered. Funds raised will support ape conservation.
Hope 4 Apes takes place at The Lyceum, Wellington Street, London, on Monday 6th December at 7pm. Tickets can be booked at the theatre (box office 0844 412 1742) or online at www.4apes.com/hope/
Read an interview with David Attenborough and Jane Goodall in the Telegraph.
I visited Borneo in 2008 on a volunteer programme to work with the organisation and I became aware of the impact of palm oil issues. On returning home I was shocked to see how many products contained palm oil and resolved to seek out only palm oil free goods. Myself, Sue (our cook) and my wife started researching and sourcing palm oil free goods. It was not an easy journey but we achieved a lot, especially persuading the local bakery and major food wholesalers to be aware of the issue. We are now palm oil free except for sustainable goods of which there are only four products and we plan to replace these in due course. We make our own ice-cream. We also support Louis Barnett from Chokolit whose products are also palm oil free. There is a permanent exhibition and information on orangutans and the foundation in the coffee shop gallery.
This is a very hard won achievement after two years of research and non-compromise but we have enjoyed the challenge.”
The Orangutan Foundation praises all of your hard work and efforts and is extremely grateful for your ongoing support of our work. Also, thank you for the chocolates that you sent - they arrived today and were absolutely delicious -yum!
Here is another contribution from Sue, a supporter of the Orangutan Foundation and Jacha’s…
“This Halloween, Gwen and Jasha Potgieter kindly let us use the outside of their coffee shop to raise money for the Orangutan Foundation. After a wet start, children and adults alike enjoyed a great time carving pumpkins, guessing the weight of the giant pumpkin and having their faces painted! We raised £185.22 on the day adding to the grand total of £900.00 raised by them this year. It was such a success that we have already been asked back next year!!”
Please consider supporting the work of the Orangutan Foundation by donating to our 20th Anniversary Appeal.
Thank you!
Here's a snap shot of what was going during on last week's Orangutan Awareness Week. TNT, motivated their staff to join us for Orange for Orangutan day. They are also running a competition for their staff, the winner receives 2 ticket to the Hope4apes event.
Ashley Leiman, Orangutan Foundation director gave numerous radio interveiws throughout Orangutan Awareness Week. Listen to Ashley on BBC Scotland.
Orangutans visited major London radio stations and dropped off a box of goodies, which included delicious carrot cake from Le Pain Quotidien and shortbread (palm oil free) Orangu-tangys from Paterson Arran.
Nick, our orangutan mascot, visits London's radio stations to spread the word about his forest cousins.
With Joel Ross of Kiss FM.
Thank you to everyone who did something for orangutans last week. It is not too late to help please consider making a donation.
Thank you,
Orangutan Foundation.
It is Orangutan Awareness Week and what better way to start than by visiting Brian Matthew's orangutan picture gallery at BBC Wildlife Magazine's website. Here's a taster....
Its not too late to join in the week, why not take part in Orange for Orangutan Day on Wednesday 10th November - a fun and easy way to raise awareness and funds for the endangered orangutan.
Do something for orangutans this week and donate to our 20th Anniversary Appeal!
News from the field to follow this week...
Thank you,
Orangutan Foundation, London office
Visit the orangutan gallery at
Thursday, October 14, 2010 from 7:30 PM - 11:00 PM (GMT), London. Alive & Giving is a new and innovative charity fundraising website and to celebrate the launch of AliveandGiving.com we would like to invite you and your guests to join us at our charity fundraising event, Live to Give.
Please go along and support Cool Earth who are raising funds on behalf of the Orangutan Foundation. Thank you!
AliveandGiving.com is about encouraging considered giving. To reflect this we have invited three amazing charities, Changemakers, Cool Earth (for orangutans) and Restless Development, to pitch for funding from the audience at our launch party. We have raised a fantastic £15,000 as match funding for these charities, so for every £10 you donate on the night, £20 will go to your chosen charity. The event is free to attend; there will be live music and free drinks, and plenty of reasons to give!
For more info please click here...
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVENTUROUS INDIVIDUALS!
18th September – 30th October
VOLUNTEER WITH THE ORANGUTAN FOUNDATION
This programme offers volunteers a unique opportunity to visit the remote area of Danau Sentarum National Park (DSNP). DSNP is a wetland of interconnected lakes surrounded by peat swamp forest in the upper Kapuas river basin, the most threatened habitat remaining for orangutans in Indonesian Borneo (Kalimantan). The Sentarum lakes and surrounding peat swamp wetlands are unique in Kalimantan, as they are Borneo’s oldest inland peat swamps at 12,000 years old. This really is the heart of Borneo. Threats in the area are the rapid conversion of orangutan habitat to oil palm plantations, as well as hunting, forest fires and illegal logging.
This project will focus on constructing a guard post to protect critical areas inside the park. There will be chiseling, cementing, sawing, nailing and hammering, plus some digging, so this is no mean feat but crucial to ensure orangutans can have a life in the wild where they belong.
The situation facing orangutans in the wild is critical. All populations are under threat from habitat loss caused by conversion of tropical forest to commercial plantations, primarily oil palm, plus illegal logging and mining.
Working as part of a team of up to 12 volunteers, this 6-week programme gives unrivalled experience of essential conservation work in one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Our programme promises exciting opportunities for adventurous individuals to participate in conservation fieldwork that really makes a difference.
Only 3 spaces left! For more information please contact Cat Gibbons at the Orangutan Foundation on 020 7724 2912 or email elly@orangutan.org.uk
Participants must be over 18 years old.
Eko (lot 195), our beautiful blue and gold hand-painted elephant is up for auction as part of Elephant Parade London 2010.
Own this original piece of artwork by Paul Kidby, the artist and illustrator of Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld books and the Orangutan Foundation will receive 70% of the total. 
Eko the Orangutan Foundation's elephant - photo by Paul Kidby
Though we will be sad to see him go the funds raised will be used to support our vital conservation work in Borneo and Sumatra.
If you would like to bid for Eko (lot number 195) in person then why not attend the Grand Elephant Auction at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. To purchase a ticket please contact Georgina Dunsford on georgina@elephantfamily.org or phone 0207 580 3184 / 0774 7402 970. Tickets are £75 and include a delicious spread and live jazz. If you are unable to attend, phone bidding can be arranged.
You need to register your maximum bid online by 2pm on the 2nd of July 2010 when the online auction for this elephant will close.
Sign elephant family's petition to save the Asian elephant.
Thank you and good luck!
Show your support of the Orangutan Foundation by coming along to our Indonesian Cultural Evening on Wednesday 14th July, at Conway Hall, London, 7pm until 11pm. All funds raised will go towards supporting orangutan conservation. There will also be a chance to entre our raffle to win an Orangutan Conservation Tour to Borneo with Steppes Discovery.
The Foundation and the Indonesian Embassy are holding an Indonesian evening, which will feature the award winning Indonesian Parahyangan Choir (in the UK for the annual International Musical Festival in North Wales), wonderful Balinese dancing and delicious Indonesian cuisine.
Image above - Indonesian Parahyangan Choir
Tickets are £20 per person (£10 for concessions), which includes all food and drink.
Please make cheques payable to Orangutan Foundation, or you can book via our secure online shop.
All proceeds will go to the Orangutan Foundation.
Please help us to promote this event by sharing this blog with your friends.
Thank you!
Orangutan Foundation
Orangutan Foundation, 7 Kent Terrace, London, NW1 4RP +44 (0)20 7724 2912 info@orangutan.org.uk
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