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We need your help! Please spare a minute of your time to help us win £5,000.

The Orangutan Foundation have been selected by Animal Friends Pet Insurance to take part in their monthly Facebook competition. During the month of February we will be competing with three other charities to win a cash prize of £5,000! We need your help. The charity with the most votes will be awarded £5,000. Voting is free and very easy. From 5th February simply go to www.facebook.com/feelgoodpark and 'like' the page. Then select the 'Vote for a Charity' tab from the left hand menu and click on Orangutan Foundation. Please share and forward this to all your friends. (n.b. You will need your own Facebook account to participate in the challenge). Should you need any more information about the Facebook challenge please email Kristina at kristina@orangutan.org.uk.

Wild orangutan rescue

The report below, about a wild orangutan rescue and release, was sent by Pak Tigor, our Orangutan Release Manager, before the tragic accident that occurred on the 21^st January, which resulted in the death of Pak Anton Wahyudi, Head of the Indonesian Government’s Agency for the Conservation of Natural Resources Central Kalimantan section II (BKSDA SKW II). Pak Anton Wahyudi and his staff played a key role in the rescue. 

This post illustrates the important work of the Indonesian Government’s Agency for the Conservation of Natural Resources and the Orangutan Foundation but it highlights the chronic problem that Indonesia is facing:  increasing numbers of wild orangutans that are being encountered and needing rescue as their habitat continues to be destroyed and fragmented.  

One quick and simple way to support our work, that won’t cost you anything, is to vote for us in the Animal Friends Pet Insurance Facebook Challenge – if Orangutan Foundation gets the most votes we will win £5,000. We urgently need these funds to support our work in Indonesian Borneo.

Last month, after coordination with BKSDA SKW II we visited the village of Natai Raya, close to the Port of Kumai. We had heard there was an isolated female orangutan that was eating fruit from the villager’s backyards. Capturing and moving wild orangutans is always a last resort as it is risky for both the apes and humans and it is also very expensive. However, it was clear that in this case the orangutan needed to be removed from the village. There was a small swampy area with a few small trees but no fruit trees and on the other side of the swamp was an oil palm plantation.  

The next day the rescue team made up from BKSDA SKW II staff and the Orangutan Foundation vet Dr Fikri, Uduk (Assistant Orangutan Release Manager) and Pak Tigor headed to the village to capture and trans-locate the orangutan. After 7 failed attempts to catch the orangutan she fled into the swamp and climbed a tree.

The team decided to leave the village and return a few days later with more Orangutan Foundation staff to help. Finally, after a co-ordinated effort by all, the orangutan was isolated in one tree and was darted and safely rescued.

DrFikri immediately performed the necessary health checks and the orangutan was taken to the BKSDA SKW II office in Pangkalan Bun.

The next day the orangutan was transported by klotok (longboat) to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.

She was released at Camp Mangkung, a site established specifically for trans-located orangutans. 

Orangutan Foundation staff followed the orangutan for 14 days to ensure she was fit and well ans that there were no problems arising because of the trans-location.

Thank you to BKSDA SKW II and to Colchester Zoo Action for the Wild for the support of our Veterinary Programme and for funding the blow pipes and darts.

 Please consider a donation to support our vital work.

 Thank you,

 Orangutan Foundation

In Memory of Pak Anton Wahyudi

This post is dedicated to Pak Anton Wahyudi, who tragically died in a speedboat accident on Saturday , whilst carrying out his duties responding to reports of illegal logging inside Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.  We thank you for your dedication in fighting for the conservation of Indonesia's forests and wildlife. A husband, father, friend and colleague - you will be greatly missed.

Image from Forest Rangers Blog

News of a tragic accident

We are deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Pak Anton Wahyudi who died, on Saturday 21st January, as a result of a speedboat accident whilst carrying out his duties responding to reports of illegal logging inside the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia Borneo.

Pak Anton was a highly respected colleague, who was head of the Indonesian Government's Agency for the Conservation of Natural Resources Central Kalimantan section II (BKSDA SKW II) and he was the former Commander of the Brigade for the illegal logging Rapid Reaction Force (known as SPORC) in Sulawesi.

The response to the reported illegal logging was a joint mission between the Orangutan Foundation and BKSDA. Pak Juhri (Head of BKSDA Conservation Resort) was also in the boat but thankfully didn't sustain any major injuries and helped to rescue the other passengers. Two Orangutan Foundation staff, Pak Tigor and Arbani, were seriously injured but survived after Pak Juhri and Dr Fikri, our vet, managed to pull them out of the water, saving their lives. We wish them all a full recovery.

The Orangutan Foundation work in close collaboration with BKSDA SKW II, who are the Indonesian government authority responsible for the protection of the reserve. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Pak Anton, who leaves behind a wife and two children.

Young orangutan rescued

Meet Sampito, a male orangutan who recently arrived at Camp JL, in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Central Kalimantan, Borneo.

Sampito is thought to be about 3 years old and was rescued by the Indonesian Government’s Agency for the Conservation of Natural Resources (BKSDA SKW II) from a village near the town of Sampit.  Sampito’s mother was most likely killed as their forest habitat was cleared to make way for oil palm plantations or because she was considered an agricultural pest.

After a few days of checkups and monitoring at the local BKSDA office in Pangkalan Bun, Sampito was taken by the Orangutan Foundation’s vet, Dr Fikri, to the Lamandau River Reserve.

When Sampito reaches his ideal body weight and is considered fit and healthy by Dr Fikri he will be gradually be allowed out into the forest to play and explore.  He will be returned to the holding cage at night.  Once the Foundation staff are happy that Sampito can find enough food to eat and that can make a nest to sleep in then he will no longer return to his cage. Field staff will follow and monitor Sampito to ensure he copes with living in the wild without his mother.

We would like to thank Colchester Zoo's Action for the Wild Fund for their support of our Vet Programme.

More news  to follow soon….

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

Borneo's Enchanting Forests

As the UN Year of the Forests 2011 draws to a close Arif Nugroho, the manager of Pondok Ambung Tropical forest Research Station in Tanjung Puting National Park (Central kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo), has sent this interesting report (which is almost poetic in parts) with images about some of the rarer treasures of the rainforest. Over to Arif ....... Welcome the rainy season, welcome beautiful colorful mushrooms

At the beginning of rainy season, we felt spoilt when walking in the forest. There were many different colorful mushrooms, some with striking colors such as bright yellow or orange. They looked like little umbrellas in the ground - so beautiful.

While collecting data on the vegetation with Mas’ud Ashari, a student from the Forestry Faculty at Gajah Mada University, Jogjakarta we found many species of mushrooms. We couldn’t identify them but took images of them. Classification of fungi is always suffering from contradictions because there is a lack of complete knowledge about all the fungal organisms. There is little information reported about mushrooms in Borneo, especially in Pondok Ambung. So the aim of the present investigation was to identify the wild mushroom in Pondok Ambung Tropical Forest Research Station. We found at least 12 different species of wild mushrooms, even if we didn’t identify yet. (Please leave a comment if you can help!).

Frogs: Wildlife under canopy

Night tracking. Walk slowly into forest. Smelling the soil after the rain and listening to nature's voices. So peaceful. Light your torch around you and find some eyes glowing. Yup, that is way to see a beautiful frog, wildlife under canopy.

Butterflies Covering the Ground

Tanjung Puting National Park (TNTP), has peat swamp forests and  orangutans are a key species. The National Park attracts many tourists mainly to see the orangutans. But there is still lots of other biodiversity. We  are trying to explore  and the more we do we discover awesome wildlife.

This month looks like a butterflies’ moon. They are so easy to find and watch. On a river bank, among the leaf litter and twigs of trees, there are  various kinds of colorful butterflies. I watched one. Flapping its wings occasionally to shift places, then pauses as if she were sipping something from the soil. I crawled over. Trying to enjoy every detail of its beauty. Wings have colorful patterns and sometimes seem complicated. Some of them show a striking hue. Others are just black and white only. But the pattern remains fascinating.

Based on my observations, the butterflies are very easily found on the edge of the river. Precisely on lands moist but still exposed to sunlight. Several others were observed at the lower canopy of trees or perched in the foliage. I also found butterflies gathered in soil doused with smelling material, like soapy water or rotten fruit.

Check my article (In Bahasa Indonesian) about butterfly of Pondok Ambung TNTP in Biodiversitas Indonesia Magazine Vol. 1 No. 2 Th. 2011. Magazine can be downloaded for free here.

Researching Western Tarsier in Pondok Ambung

Masud  Ashari,  the student from Forestry Faculty, Gajah Mada University, Jogjakarta is at Pondok Ambung to research the population and distribution of the Western Tarsier (Tarsius bancanus Horsfield, 1821) in the lowland forest habitat of Pondok Ambung Tropical Forest Research Station and Tanjung Harapan, Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan.

Over 15 days he made 11 transects line and 23 plots of vegetation analysis and recorded 8 points of Tarsiers. This wasn't actual observations but encountering their smell. Tarsiers produce a secretion from a gland aroung their genitals for marking their homerange. Each point recorded shared similar characteristics. Sapling trees up to pole size, moderate to high vegetation density, temperature between 24-27 ° C, and humidity between 60-65%. Tarsier prefer this habitat because the conditions allow for easy locomotion (leaping between treest), feeding, playing, perching to prey etc.

Thank you,

Arif

More news on orangutans later this week...

Please support our work by making a donation today via our website or by calling 0044 (0)20 7724 2912 - thank you.

Today 10am (GMT) your donation doubled for orangutans!

Go to http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/project/orangutans to have your donation to the Orangutan Foundation doubled for free today at 10am! If you aren't successful today please try back each day this week at 10am.

We need your support!

A Big thank you from all at the orangutan Foundation in Borneo and the UK!

A gift for orangutans

Make your donation count!  From this Monday 5th December at 10am (GMT) your online donations made via this link will be matched. Please try and donate as close to 10am as possible because the matching funds are limited. If you aren't successful on Monday please try back each day next week starting at 10am.

This fantastic opportunity and will help us to secure a future for orangutans, forests and people.

With your support:

- We can give orangutans like little orphan orangutan Steph a real chance of living in the wild.

- We can provide training and advice for Indonesian people living close to areas of orangutan habitat - helping them to develop livelihoods that aren't detrimental to the forests, wildlife and to their future.

- We will safeguard the carbon-rich forests that are vital for local and global human populations.

Please give generously - we need you support.

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/project/orangutans

Progress of orphaned orangutan

Report just in from Pak Tigor, the Orangutan Foundation's Orangutan Re-introduction Manager, about Steph the little orphan orangutan that was rescued from an oil palm plantation and taken to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.

"Steph is very healthy, energetic and  now wants to play all the time with carer.

At the end of October,  her  weight reached 5 kg. Every day activities usually start with a bath in the morning, eating and drinking and after that  Steph is taken by our field staff to play and climb trees in the forest.  And if possible they introduce natural food like young leaves or fruit.

Sometimes when playing in the forest Steph was approached by a female orangutan (ex-captive) with infant. Upon seeing this our field staff went to leave in the hope that Steph can play with the other baby orangutan. But this wasn't what Steph wanted as she looked scared and did not want to be approached and started Steph crying. The female orangutan also didn't want to interfere with Steph. After this Steph was brought back to camp for a break.

When I visted Camp Rasak a few weeks ago Steph was playing on the branch of tree near the staff dining room "ruang makan". Hongki, a male orangutan, came over and took Steph to the top of a tree and kept her until the afternoon.

Hongki then came down from the tree and allowed the Orangutan Foundation staff to take Steph back.  They checked her over to make sure she hadn't been hurt and she was absolutely fine. It was just another experience for Steph and one which will hopefully help her as she grows up and attempts to survive in the wild.

We need your  support to ensure our vital work in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve can continue. Please donate to the Orangutan Foundation.

Thank you,

Pak Tigor - Orangutan Foundation Re-introduction Manager

Don't forget you can make a donation through the Big Give Christmas Challenge - from 5th -9th December when your money can go twice as far. Matching funds are limited so please donate at 10am if possible.

Sir Terry Pratchett book auctioned in aid of orangutans

Sunday 27 November at 8pm - Monday 5 December at 8pm. The Big Give is holding an auction from this Sunday until the start of the Christmas Challenge.

The Orangutan Foundation is honoured to be auctioning a proof of Sir Terry Pratchett's latest Discworld novel, Snuff, complete with signed bookplate. There are only 155 proofs existing and this is the only signed copy to be auctioned, kindly donated by Colin Smythe, Sir Terry Pratchett's publisher.

The auction will run from this Sunday 27 November at 8pm - Sunday 4 December at 8pm. Place your bids here

 Also....SAVE THE DATE!!

Monday 5 December at 10am - Friday 9 December.

For one week only we have a fantastic opportunity to have all online donations doubled! Donate whatever you can and we will receive the same again from the Big Give!

However, you need to be quick as funds from the Big Give are released bit by bit and, once the day's funds are exhausted, no more donations can be made. So, we are asking our supporters to donate here http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/project/orangutans as soon as possible once the Challenge opens at 10am on Monday 5 December.

Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to help us to secure a future for orangutans, forests and people this Christmas. Thank you for your support!

Bird nests and visitors in Tanjung Puting National Park

Orangutan Foundation in collaboration with Tanjung Puting National Park run Pondok Ambung, a tropical forest research station. The national park’s wild orangutan population is estimated at over 4,000. But Tanjung Puting isn’t just famous for orangutans it has an amazing diversity of species that share the great ape's habitat. Arif, our manager of the research station sent this interesting update about recent sightings including the behaviour of nesting birds.

Aku Cinta Indonesia (ACI or I love Indonesia) Team Found Western Tarsier in Pondok Ambung

Aku Cinta Indonesia (ACI) is a program by detik.com. Their aim is to promote the beauty of Indonesia. ACI pick teams of 3 people who they send out on various adventures to document their experience.

One of the ACI’s team visited to Pondok Ambung and slept overnight on a kelotok (boat).  They were curious to see a nocturnal primate, called the Western Tarsier.   After the drizzle stopped we began our night tracking around Pondok Ambung and at around midnight, Evawi, a Foundation field assistant smelt the urine of the tarsier. We found this small beautiful primate – it is really rare to see them and after no less than 10 minutes we had lost it (see this post for picture of tarsier).

In the early morning, we did bird watching. Pak Hudi, the Foundation’s Programme Co-ordinator, gave basic tips about bird watching. So many bird species were seen!

Photographic Trip

Photographer Ian Wood and his group visited Pondok Ambung. There were eight in his group so we split in to 2 smaller groups. One went with Pak Hudi and climbed a watch tower to observe birds in the upper canopy.

The other group came with me to find a criptical bird and look at the nest of the Orange-bellied Flowerpecker. The group had some awesome tools of photography. Tele lens helped to take a small objects, like the birds.

 Bird Nests

We found the nest of a Malaysian Eared Nightjar(Eurostopodus temminckii).  Actually, they don’t really have a nest. They just lay down their egg on the ground, on top of foliage. There was one egg which started to hatch while we observed. It was a beautiful chick with a reddish plumage. I think this is the first record, at least in Pondok Ambung!

We also found the nest of the Orange-bellied Flowerpecker (Dicaeum trigonostigma).  The nest was suspended 2.5 m up on a leafy twig of a tree growing near the watch tower. The nest was small and egg-shaped, made from grass and ferns. It contained two chicks. During my observation, I saw the male and female adults attend the nest.

The female took food from the undergrowth around the nest. It seemed like fruit but they were just taking the seeds. When feeding the young, the male hung onto the outside of the nest by its feet so that it could face the chicks directly. After the male departed, the chicks would often wait in front of the entrance with their bills out. Sometimes, although the male was not present, the chicks would stick out their heads and open their mouths wide in a begging behavior.

 After several days, we found the nest is empty with a small hole in the bottom.  Before it, I watch something trying to make a hole from inside the nest. I can’t identify who and what they do. Maybe this is the way out when the chicks are strong enough to fly? We need more observations!

By Arif - Manager of Pondok Ambung Tropical Forests Research Station

Support our work and put this date in your diary – 10am on 5 December  your donation to us doubled at http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/project/orangutans

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

Celebrating Orangutans!

Yesterday was Orange for Orangutan Day - an event that always takes place in Orangutan Awareness Week. The aim is to raise awareness and funds for orangutan conservation but in a fun and interesting way.  It is also a celebration of this magnificent great ape. Many people are still unaware that their survival in the wild is threatened so thank you to everyone who has done something, no matter how small, for orangutans this week.  Here are some photos of what people got up to!

Comedian Hattie Hayridge at our pub quiz in London.

Many different ways to go orange for orangutans!

Pembrokeshire college students go orange!

A great poster by Pembrokeshire College

If you'd like to help then put this date in your diary - 10am on 5 December  your donation to us doubled at http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/project/orangutans

Leave a comment and let us know what you've been doing this week.

Thank you!

Orangutan Foundation

Orangutan Awareness Week

To mark Orangutan Awareness Week here are some lovely images of these great apes. They were all taken by Ian Wood, who runs photo tours to Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo.  We've included some other animals shots too because if you protect orangutan habitat you also protect 1000's of other species! Why not do something for orangutans this week, whether it is going orange for the day, organising your own event or making a donation to Orangutan Foundation , every little action helps! 

More posts and pics to follow this week..

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation 

Orange for Orangutan Quiz Night

Join us for our Orange for Orangutan Quiz night at Wood Marylebone, NW1 London on Wednesday 16 November (Orange for Orangutan Day 2011).

Photo by Ian Wood www.agoodplace.co.uk

Stand-up comedian Hattie Hayridge, the compere for the evening, will help make this a fun and colourful evening with all proceeds supporting our vital work.  Buy tickets from the Orangutan Foundation's website or call 020 7724 2912.

If you can't get to London then why not organise your own event?  Click here for ideas and info.

Go on, go orange for orangutans!

Bornean orangutans back home in the forest

We have received news from Pak Tigor, our Orangutan Release Manager, that the two Bornean orangutans, Kevin and bobby, who were brought back from Sumatra last month, have been released back into their forest home. They have been in holding cages at Camp Gemini, in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, since they arrived back in Borneo.  Last week after being closely monitored, Dr Fikri and field staff decided that they should be allowed out of their cages.  At around 16.30, an hour or so before it gets dark, the doors to Kevin and Bobby’s cages were opened.

Kevin immediately went onto the top of his cage, looked around taking in the situation. He eventually climbed off and gathered some branches which he took back to the top of his cage where he then made a make-shift nest.  We waited until about 18.30. Kevin stayed sleeping in his nest all night. The next day two field staff stayed close to Kevin, following him as he moved off into the forest. At the end of day he made a nest in a tree and went to sleep. He seems very at home back in the forest.

Bobby in climbing in trees after his release

Unlike Kevin, Bobby was more hesitant to leave his cage.  He just sat on the cage door, then climbed down to the ground and walked around the cage, back and forth for quite a while without any obvious purpose. He did try to climb into a tree, but as he did so he fell back and then returned to his cage door.

Bobby returns to the security of his cage

The Orangutan Foundation team waited until 18:00 and decided it was better for Bobby to go back into his cage for the night because is very dangerous for orangutans to sleep on the ground due to wild boar in the surrounding forests.

The next day Bobby was taken to the feeding site, where supplementary food is offered. Bobby climbed the trees and moved between them. Bobby did eat fruit from the forest but only one type.

Bobby playing with ex-captive orangutan Amoi and her infant

He also interacted with ex-captive orangutans, Ebony a female adolescent and Mantra a female orangutan with infant, spending a long time playing. Bobby didn’t attempt to make a nest and so he returned to his cage again for the night. We will continue to take Bobby out and hope that he will eventually become fully independent.

Bobby getting used to living up in the trees

We will have more news on Kevin and Bobby soon and hopefully some video footage too (so long as the internet connection remains good!).

Please support our work in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve by donating today.

Thank you.

Orangutans and Food - Blog Action Day 2011

Today is Blog Action Day 2011 and the theme is food.  So what does food have to do with orangutans? Quite a lot.   Our production of food, to feed a growing human population, has a huge impact on tropical forests, biodiversity and also on the great red ape. Our last post told about an infant orangutan that was rescued from an oil palm plantation.  These subjects, palm oil and orangutans, seem to go hand in hand now days.  The issue is highly sensitive, emotive and complicated.  Palm oil, which is extracted from the oil palm kernel, is used as a fuel or is a common ingredient in soaps, candles and numerous cosmetic products. It is also found in many different processed foods.  For example, in Europe, it is found in up to half of packaged food products.

The balance between the need to feed our planet's increasing human population (Indonesia is already well past the 230 million mark, China and India, both major importers of palm oil, have a combined human population of over 2.5 billion) and the need to safeguard the carbon-rich lowland forests of Indonesia and Malaysia (the two countries which produce the most palm oil) is a huge challenge. But it is one we must tackle if there is to be a future for orangutans, forests and people.

The problem can feel overwhelming. But in order to make progress it has to be looked at properly,  broken down and dealt with piece by piece. For example, a small yet effective initiative that the Orangutan Foundation support is the promotion of small-scale agro-forestry by  an Indonesian organisation, Yayorin.    By encouraging local farmers to adopt a sustainable, organic way of farming, as oppose to traditional  forest clearance by slash and burn or instead of farmers selling their land to an oil palm concession, forest loss has been reduced and orangutan habitat saved.

Consumers can also play their part by choosing which products they buy.  For example, avoiding those with palm oil or only buying if the the palm oil contained within is certified as sustainable.  A recent campaign we were involved with saw the European Parliament vote in favour of compulsory labelling of palm oil in food products in Europe.  This now allows consumer choice but will also help drive demand for certified sustainable palm oil.

Small-scale agro-forestry and wise consumerism are small but important steps being taken to address the problem.

Find out more about our work at www.orangutan.org.uk

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

Infant orangutan rescued

Dr Fikri, our vet sent through this report about the rescue of an infant orangutan. At the end of July our Reintroduction Team received a called from Pak Anton, the head of the Agency for Conservation of Natural Resources, BKSDA SKW II. He had received a request from a large oil palm concession in Central Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) about some orangutans isolated on the plantation, which will need to be trans-located.

Based on this, a team from the Orangutan Foundation and BKSDA planned to visit the plantation which is owned by Borneo Citra Indah.

Before leaving for the plantation, a ranger from Tanjung Puting National Park informed us about an infant orangutan, approximately one year old, on the plantation but in a different area.  According to the plantation staff, who had been caring for the orangutan for two days, it came from villagers living around the plantation. Apparently they found it without its mother.

After health checks at the local BKSDA facility it was decided the infant orangutan should be taken to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.

The infant has been named Steph, after Steph Brown a long-term and commited supporter of the Orangutan Foundation. Little Steph will be cared for by our field staff at Camp Rasak. Considering Steph’s ordeal she is in good health.

Her weight at the end of September was 4 kg, a 1kg gain in weight since she was first found.

Please help us to safeguard this important protected area, provide care for these orangutans and ensure a future in the wild for these endangered great apes.

Thank you,

Dr Fikri and the Orangutan Foundation team

Tanjung Puting National Park photo contest

The Tanjung Puting National Park Authority hosted a poster and photographic competition last weekend.  The Orangutan Foundation is thrilled that Saud Teguh, one of our own members of staff came first in the photo contest with his image of the Greater Coucal and second place with his poster.   What talent - well done Teguh and thank you to the National Park for organising this initiative.

Photo above and poster below by Saud Teguh

Why Investing in Forests is Win-Win for Communities, Climate and Orangutan Conservation

Yesterday, Ashley Leiman, the Orangutan Foundation's director, was in Jakarta for the launch of a new UNEP report which explains why investing in forests is win-win for communities, climate and orangutan conservation.  Read the report, Orangutans and the economics of sustainable forest management in sumatra   

 

Male Sumatran Orangutan - photo by Gail Campbell-Smith

Comings and goings in Tanjung Puting National Park

In July, we said goodbye to Devis, our Tropical Forest Research Station Manager. Devis had worked for us for five years and though he will be greatly missed we know Pondok Ambung will remain in good hands.

Devis in the middle being hugged by Pak Hudi, our Programme Co-ordinator

Arif (in green t-shirt), our new Manager of Pondok Ambung

We are delighted to welcome Arif Nugroho.  An avid birdwatcher and nature lover – Arif has so far seen a Malay civet (Viverra tangalunga), Western tarsier (Tarsius bancanus)...

...as well as the many of the beautiful bird species found in the park.

Since his arrival in August, Arif has given the field station and its klotok (long-boat) a fresh look, repairing rotten boards and adding a new lick of paint. Though the bad news is the klotok only has about 6 month of life left in it, at the most!

Pondok Ambung Tropical Forest Research Station is a joint collaboration between the Tanjung Puting National Park Authority and the Orangutan Foundation. Researchers or Universities in interested in studying here should contact the Orangutan Foundation.