The wonders of life – help save forests and orangutans!

Needed: 12 adventurous individuals for 6 weeks volunteer work in Borneo. Your mission: to build a guard post that will strengthen the protection of a wildlife reserve that’s home to the endangered Bornean orangutan, gibbon, clouded leopard and thousands of other amazing species.

You must be healthy, fit and ready for a challenge. A sense of humour is a must and, unlike orangutans, you must be able to work and live in a group!

Find out more: email cat@orangutan.org.uk or call 020 7724 2912

www.orangutan.org.uk

 

Belantikan’s big ape count

Determining wild population sizes of orangutans and gibbons, both highly arboreal (tree-dwelling) apes species, is a conservation challenge. But, over the years, scientist have come up with methods that enable accurate estimates. For example, with orangutan their nests are counted and with gibbons, it is their songs that are recorded and used.

We are trying to find out more about the wild ape populations of the Belantikan Hulu region which is part of the greater Belantikan Arut – a spectacular landscape spanning 500,000 hectares across Central and West Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo). The Belantikan Conservation Programme (BCP) is a joint initiative of Yayorin (an Indonesian NGO) and ourselves.

The Belanitkan Hulu comprises primary and secondary lowland forests, including both recently logged forests and post-logging forests that have since recovered (over the last 35-40 years). The area has ravines, rivers, cliffs and logging roads – all synonymous with Borneo.

There is a large wild orangutan population, which was first surveyed in 2003, and a gibbon population, whose size is unknown. In 2012, The Rufford Foundation awarded funding to the BCP to build a small research station and to commence surveys of the ape species. The research station is now in use by BCP’s field researchers and by a team of biologists from the National University of Jakarta.

Our initial surveys indicate there has been a continuing decrease in the orangutan population over the years. This population was estimated to be the largest population of orangutans existing in the wild outside of the protected area system. In fact, more than 70% of the total Bornean orangutan population in the wild is found outside of designated conservation areas. Hence, it is important to determine the size and distribution of the Belantikan population accurately, and to be able to monitor the current apparent population decline, so that appropriate conservation actions can be taken.

The gibbon survey estimated a density of just over 3 groups per km2, which is considered high. The BCP will conduct further research to determine how orangutans adapt to living in logging forests and to the varying degrees of disturbance. Further studies on gibbons will also survey the wider area and the estimated territory and cruising areas, study group composition as well as changes in habitat conditions between seasons.

We hope to provide you with new and exciting findings from Belantikan as we start to find out more about its forests and what lives within.

We are extremely grateful to The Rufford Foundation and to the US Fish and Wildlife Service Great Ape Conservation Fund for supporting this research project, and to the Arcus Foundation for supporting the on-going conservation project.

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation and Yayorin (Belantikan Conservation Programme)

 

New enclosure for blind orangutan, Aan

We are pleased to report that blind orangutan, Aan, has a new enclosure. It allows her greater freedom of movement and more sunlight gets through, which reduces the dampness and make it fresher. We would like to thank everyone who donated in response to Aan’s incredible survival story.

Aan remains scared of humans and she tried to bite one of our staff as they tried to transfer her to her new cage. Therefore, she had to be sedated to minimize her stress and the risk of injury to our staff.

Once considered safe, the vet took the opportunity to have Aan weighed. She is now 26 kg and so she has gained 1 kg seen her rescue.

Aan was still sedated as she was placed into the new cage on a shelf covered with leaves as bedding. Within a few moments of waking up, she started playing and eating.

Our staff regard Aan as a clever orangutan. She is surviving well by relying on her senses of hearing and taste. She is still selective about food. If given fruit which is a bit past its best or maybe sour, Aan will rejected it or even throw it away.

Please help with a donation to help us care for Aan.

Thank you for your support.

Orangutan Foundation

Update on Aan, orangutan who was shot over 100 times.

Dr Fikri has sent the update below on how Aan, the female orangutan who was shot over 100 times, is recovering. Aan has been living in a temporary enclosure in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve. We are currently building a permanent and larger enclosure for her. However, we still have meet the costs of her day to day care and we need to secure additional funds to assist us with this. Please consider a donation to help us (click here to donate). Update from Dr Fikri

'In general, Aan's health has improved. She is always on the move and loves playing with the ropes and tyres in her cage. She rarely goes down to the floor of the cage, especially if there are other orangutans outside or in the evening when pigs might come near the cage.

When camp staff have to enter the cage to clean it, Aan always moves away to the far corner. She often moves by holding the walls of the cage so the camp staff think she looks like Spiderman.

Aan is totally blind having lost her sight to air gun pellets that were fired at her. Despite having several pellet still lodged in her ears, thankfully Aan can hear. In fact as she suffered blindness, the ability to hear seems better and tends to be more sensitive than other healthy orangutans. Therefore, for now, we have decided not to undertake further surgery to remove the pellets.

When feeding, the camp staff will call her name while sometimes knocking the cage wall to encourage Aan to come closer. Unlike the other orangutans, Aan is very picky about food. She often leaves unripe or less mature fruit. If the fruit given is ripe, Aan will definitely eat it. She really likes mango and pineapple. If both fruits are available, Aan will not eat bananas instead she will throw them away.'

On behalf of everybody at the Orangutan Foundation I would like to thank you for your support this year.

Season’s greetings,

Ashley

Ashley Leiman (Founder and Director Orangutan Foundation)

 

Rescued orangutan, Joson, adapting well to her new forest home.

Here's is an update about infant orangutan, Joson, from our vet, Dr Fikri, in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. Joson, a young orangutan stationed at Camp Siswoyo since October 12 2012, is undergoing a 'soft-release' program. She is keeping in good health. She is agile and cheerful like a young wild orangutan. Every day Joson is released into the forest and she is more confident to climb trees and move between trees, adventuring further away. She also makes nests in the trees.

One afternoon, Joson was resting in a nest that she has made. The nest was quite high so Edi, a member of camp staff, couldn't see her. Joson stayed in the nest a while with Edi waiting under the tree. However, after a long time, Joson's nest  looked motionless. Edi called to her but Joson didn't appeared. Concerned, Edi then climbed a nearby tree and then saw that Joson was laying in the nest, glancing at him in his tree. Feeling deceived by Joson, Edi finally laughed. He thought that he had lost track of her.

Every morning after eating and drinking in a cage, around 07.00 am, Joson is taken to the forests to learn through playing. She has been introduced to edible forest fruits and tubers. Now it is often seen that Joson eat some kind of fruit such as fig and guava. Joson also often go down to the swamp to take forest tubers. Joson also looks not afraid when she met with Baung, adult female orangutan, who has a male child named Alcatras. Joson kept busy with her own activity and did not seem concerned with the presence of Baung and Alcatras.

After Joson seems finished with playing in the afternoon, around 3 pm, she will return to the camp and go into her cage. Before bed Joson is given fruit and a drink.

Joson has shown a lot of progress. When Joson was first taken out of her cage and raised into a tree near camp, she was very slow while climbing. Before coming to the Reserve, Joson had stayed for quite a lot long time in a cage being kept as a pet by a villager. Her body was also rather fat. With her distended belly, Joson often look funny when slowly trying hard to climb trees.

At the beginning of her acquaintance with the trees in the forest, Joson often hesitated when climbing. Some time shortly after being up in the trees, Joson go down and walk on the ground and then climb another tree. . However, the direction of movement was often to return to the cage where she was staying.

Joson has undergone remarkable progress in soft-release program. It did not take long for Joson to climb proficiently, to be able to make a nest and find her own food. We have great hope that Joson someday will total release into the wild and be able to survive in nature.

Thank you,

Dr Fikri,  Orangutan Foundation Vet.

Two more orangutans rescued

This has been a record year for the Orangutan Foundation in terms of the number of orangutans rescued and released into the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve. The fact we can help these apes and offer them a safe refuge is a positive but it is worrying that there are so many apes in need of rescue.  Last week, two more orangutans arrived at the reserve. Here, they will undergo a 'soft' release process where, overtime, with help and monitoring, they will return to a life in the wild. The two orangutans were brought to the Pangkalan Bun office of BKSDA-SKW II (Conservation and Natural Resources Authority) from Sampit, District of Kotawaringin Timur. Pak Hartono, Head of SKW II-BKSDA, named the 5 year-old orangutan Nisa, after his daughter, and the other orangutan, who is thought to be about 3 years-old, was named Lisna, after a BKSDA member of staff.

Nisa (photo above), who was a pet, had been kept in a cage for over a year. Lisna (photo below) was also a pet, but had never been kept in cage.

Our vet, Dr Fikri visited the BKSDA office to examine the orangutans. Lisna, the younger of the two, stayed calm. However, Nisa was very distressed and had to be sedated.

Thankfully both orangutans were found to be fit and healthy and so they were taken to the Reserve last week.

During the boat journey both orangutans remained calm. Dr Fikri held Lisna in his arms and she even fell asleep.

When Nisa's transport cage was opened she quietly climbed out and went straight into the larger holding cage.

Whilst this was going on Lisna took the opportunity to do some tree climbing. The staff were impressed by her skills as she is still very young. Lisna looked very confident and was lively, often moving from branch to branch.

It then began to rain so Ari, an Orangutan Foundation member of staff, tried to call Lisna to come down from the tree. But Lisna ignored him, she was having far too much fun. Ari had to climb up and bring her down.

Lisna only stayed one night at Camp Gemini. A crack was found in the cage and it was feared that Lisna might break out. So the next day Dr Fikri, our vet, moved Lisna to Camp Siswoyo, another release camp, within the reserve.

Thank you to everyone who has donated over the past week - your support is vital to our work and we are extremely grateful.

More news from the field soon!

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

 

 

Smile and the world smiles with you

Ian Wood is a writer and photographer who specialises in nature, travel and wildlife.  He also supports our work through his Orangutan Photographic Trips.  Below is an excerpt from his blog, which will put a smile on your face.  Visit http://agoodplace.co.uk/blog,  Ian's blog, to read his reports on his trips to Borneo in 2012 and take at look at some of his stunning photography. 'Exchanging eye contact with any great ape imbues a deep sense of connection ... so when this mother and baby orangutan gazed into my eyes it was already a special moment. But then something else happened ... they both started displaying emotions which looked like laughter. So here's the question ... are they smiling and laughing ? Or am I merely observing them from my limited perception of being human ? @IanWoodPhotos'

A big thank you to Ian and to all who joined one of Ian's trips in 2012 for supporting our work.

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

A big thank you!

We are delighted to announce that we have met our Big Give target of £15,000. Thank you to everyone who donated so swiftly this morning - once again, we are overwhelmed by the response and generosity of our supporters. Our Habitat Protection Project will support the running of our guard posts and patrols in two areas of critical orangutan habitat -Tanjung Puting National Park and Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve in Indonesian Borneo. These are ongoing costs but ones the we have to meet. If forests aren't safe, neither are orangutans.

If you didn't have a chance to donate this morning but would still like to then please donate via our website (click here to donate).

A big thank you from everybody at Orangutan Foundation

Keep forests standing and orangutans in the wild

Double your donation this Thursday 6th December at 10am,  at http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/project/HabitatProtection, and you can be assured that you are helping to keep forests standing and orangutans in the wild. A common excuse used by people who are found acting illegally inside protected areas is that they didn’t realise they were within the borders.  To counteract this problem in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve (Central Kalimantan, Indonesia Borneo), the Orangutan Foundation and BKSDA Central Kalimantan (Conservation and Natural Resources Authority) are currently ensuring that the Reserve’s border is correctly marked. This involves patrolling the entire border, the reserve is approximately twice the size of the UK's Isle of Wight, and using GPS to check that makers haven’t been moved and also replacing any markers that are missing.

The Reserve, which is critical orangutan habitat, is also a government designated orangutan release site.  It is where orangutans such as Bangkal, Rosa and Brian and Aan (female orangutan who was rescued after being shot in October) are all living.

Maintaining this basic habitat protection is vital.  Yet it comes at a cost that the Orangutan Foundation has to meet.  Please help us tomorrow, Thursday 6th December, and if the matched fund has already been used up then please try again on Friday or Saturday or until the fund has finished.

We really appreciate your support.

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

 

 

 

Wild male orangutan, Gagah, moved to safety of Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve

Support our work and have your donation doubled at 10am on the 6th, 7th and 8th December at http://new.thebiggive.org.uk/project/HabitatProtection

The wild male orangutan, who was captured last week in the village of Pendulangan (read previous post), has now been moved to the safety of the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.  Our vet, Dr Fikri, and our Reserve Manager, PakTigor, said the orangutan (who they have named Gagah - meaning handsome) was very agile, nimble and smart and so trying to dart and capture him was very challenging. Fortunately, Pak Uduk, our Assistant Manager, is a very able tree climber and is a good shot with the anaesthetic blowpipe. Eventally, he darted Gagah at the top of a tree. After a few minutes, when Gagah started to look weak, Pak Uduk and the team approached and managed to reach the orangutan's hand. They led him slowly down from the tree.

The next day, Gagah was examined by Dr Fikri at the BKSDA office in Pangkalan Bun. Gagah is thought to be ± 20 years old and his cheek-pads are about 7 cm wide.  He is certainly one very handsome orangutan!

Gagah was given a clean bill of health and it was decided to release him in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve. During the journey Gagah looked nervous, often sound and shaking the cage, the whole time looking at the surrounding forests.

By late morning, the team had arrived at Camp Buluh, the site where Gagah was to be released. Due to heavy rains, Gagah had to wait in his cage for a few hours. Eventually the rain eased off and Gahah was finally released.  He immediately ran, very fast, to a tree and then moved to a more distant tree to leave the release team behind. In a very short time he was out of sight.  

Please help us safeguard the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve to ensure a future for Gagah. Your donation can be worth double with the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2012!

Save the date: 10am (UK time) 6th, 7th and 8th December 

Your donations can only be doubled, online, at the link below:

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

 

Another wild adult male orangutan rescued

Our Orangutan Veterinary and Rescue Team managed to rescue another wild orangutan yesterday from the village of  Pendulangan, which is close to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia Borneo.

We were already aware of the presence of the adult male orangutan because the village had seen it hanging around, stealing fruit from their trees and on one occasion it even wandered into the village's kindergarten.  Fortunately, we have a good relationship with the village and we worked with them to try to live side by side with the orangutan. However, it became clear the orangutan was becoming more troublesome and the villagers could no longer tolerate the situation.

The orangutan proved tricky to capture as he climbed up into the tree tops. It was made more complicated because he was so close to the village - we had to avoid injury to both ape and humans.  Eventually, he was darted and after being weighed he was taken directly to the offices of BKSDA. Our vet, Dr Fikri, is examining him today and all being well hopefully he can be translocated to the Reserve in the next day or so.

We will keep you updated on his progress.

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

It’s Orangutan Awareness Week! Show your support by becoming a member or by making a donation.

 

 

 

 

It's Orangutan Awareness Week - go orange, go wild!

It's that time of year again to show your colours for orangutans.  Whether at school, work or home do something for orangutans this week! A huge thank you to everyone who is taking part. If you haven't done so let us know what you are up to. Remember you could win a fabulous Body Shop hamper (worth over £100) if you come top in one of the following categories: 'Most Fundraised Income,' 'Most Inventive Use Of Orange' and 'Most PR Generated' - a great incentive to get involved!

A special thank you to:

The Body Shop Foundation  - check out the Body Shop's Sumatran Trekker's awesome online auction this week.

1st Crichton Brownies who are holding an orangutan cafe, dressing in orange and as orangutans and are being waitresses for the evening.

Pam Swan who is organising an orange themed tea party, raffle and bring & buy sale.

Colchester Zoo are celebrating this week and are going orange on wednesday 14th November.

Christy Harrison is organising an ape-themed film and live music night at local pub in London.

Check out Orangutan Republic Foundation for a list of what is happening internationally.

And just in case you need a little reminder of why....

Here's Joson, a 4-year old orphaned orangutan, rescued last month by Orangutan Foundation.

Thank you

From everyone at Orangtan Foundation

 

 

 

 

 

Recovery of orangutan blinded by air gun pellets

Aan's condition has remained stable since she was taken to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, where the Orangutan Foundation run six orangutan release camps.  Aan is at Camp Gemini, which has a veterinary clinic and a suitable temporary enclosure.

We are pleased to report Aan is very active and eats by having fruit placed in her hand.

She receives new branches with fresh leaves everyday and makes a nest on the floor.

When the staff enter the enclosure to clean and replace leaves Aan always moves away to the top of the enclosure and then comes back down after they have left.

Dr Fikri, our vet, believes that Aan's hearing is normal allaying fears that she might go deaf because of pellets lodged around her ears.

We will keep you updated on Aan's progress. We need help to support the costs of caring for Aan and other orangutans in need of rescue. Please consider a donation or why not get your work place involved in Orange for Orangutan Day next week?

Thank you,

from Orangutan Foundation staff in the UK and Indonesia

 

 

Bornean orangutan with 104 air gun pellet wounds recovering well from three-hour operation.

Aan, the wounded female orangutan, who the Orangutan Foundation rescued a few weeks ago, has survived a 3 hour operation to remove 32 of the total 104 air gun pellets in her body.

Dr Zulfiqri, a veterinarian from the Orangutan Foundation, assisted by a specialist surgeon from the local Imanuddin Hospital, managed to remove 32 of the pellets lodged in her body and head.

Aan is recuperating in the Orangutan Foundation Veterinary Facility, in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.

When she was rescued from the oil palm plantation, she had already lost the sight in her left eye and was losing the sight in her right eye day-by-day. The X-rays showed a dozen pellet shots lodged in and around her eyes. Now she has lost sight in both eyes completely, so food and water for her must first be touched or placed in her hands.

It is unlikely that Aan can be released back into the wild, but will remain at Camp Gemini, a release camp within the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.  Dr Zulfiqri said that: “If necessary, surgery to remove more pellets will continue to be done in stages.”

The Head of the local Conservation Agency based in Pangkalan Bun, Mr Hartono said: “I hope that Aan will now feel more comfortable being in the forest living in a large holding cage. We will work together with the Orangutan Foundation to find the best way so that Aan can continue to live.”

Ashley Leiman OBE, Director of the Orangutan Foundation said:  “We have worked in Borneo over 20 years and have never had to rescue three orangutans in four days. The reasons for the increase could be due to the rapid loss of orangutan habitat or it could be because more people are reporting orangutans to the wildlife department whereas before they would have killed them.”

In October, the Orangutan Foundation, in cooperation with the Indonesian Natural Resources Conservation Agency of Central Kalimantan, successfully translocated two orangutans into the protected Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.  The larger male Herlino was rescued from an oil-palm plantation whilst the four-year old female Joson had been kept for the last 4 months in a small cage in a village.

Read full press release here.

Please support our vital work www.orangutan.org.uk. Remember Orangutan Awareness Week runs from Monday 12th November – Sunday 18th November with Orange for Orangutan Day on Wednesday 14th November.  Do something for orangutans and their rainforest home this week!

Orangutan shot at 104 times

A total of 104 bullets have been found lodged in the body and head of a female orangutan, who was rescued last week by the Orangutan Foundation and Indonesian Government’s Natural Resources Conservation Agency of Central Kalimantan (KW II-BKSDA Kalimantan Tengah). The adult female, who has been named Aan, was rescued from an oil palm plantation. She was found huddled in a tree, terrified. After anaesthetising her Dr Fikri, the Foundation’s vet, and rescue staff found her to be underweight and possibly blind in her left eye – a bullet could be seen lodged in her forehead. Based on information from the oil palm company, who reported her to the Forest Police, Aan had been roaming the plantation for a month and is thought to have come from a small relic forest, 1km from the plantation.

Dr Fikri, took Aan to Pangkalan Bun hospital. X-rays revealed 37 bullets lodged in her head and 67 bullets scattered all over her body, including several bullets lodged in vital organs including her heart and lungs. She has many bullets and bullet holes in her head which may lead to severe infections and could be fatal.

Even if Aan survives, there are bullets lodged above both eyes so it is likely that she will become fully blind. Dr Fikri also reports many bullets lodged around both ears so she may also become deaf.

Pak Hartono, the Section Head of Conservation Areas II-Natural Resources Conservation Agency of (Central) Kalimantan Tengah (SKW II-BKSDA Kalteng) and the Orangutan Foundation issued a joint press release. He stated he was regretful about Aan’s condition and he emphasised the laws protecting orangutans and the consequences of breaking these laws (Indonesian law has forbidden anyone to capture, injure, kill, and keep protected wildlife and will be subject to imprisonment for five years and a fine of one hundred million rupiah). 

Pak Hartono also called on the community who are keeping or know of protected animals to voluntarily hand them over to SKW II-BKSDA Kalteng. He went on to state that he hoped the relevant government agencies will evaluate licensing for development activities in order to maintain the balance of nature.

Pak Hartono’s department will continue to work with the Orangutan Foundation to seek the best for Aan’s welfare. With the help of a doctor, bullets lodged in her body will be removed. If the operations are successful and Aan recovers she will be moved to one of the release camps, in Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, where Aan will housed in a purpose built enclosure.

The Foundation has been shocked and saddened by Aan’s condition. But her spirit to survive is strong and we will do all we can to help her.  Aan’s tragic story highlights the importance of education and awareness and the need for continued protection of orangutan habitat.   Please support us to help us achieve this.

Update on Tripa from Sumatra

Dr Ian Singleton, director of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP), has just sent some information about a new video (watch here) and article (read here) about the forthcoming NBC broadcast on the work of SOCP and the situation in the Tripa Peat Swamps, Sumatra.

For those of you in the US the film will be shown on Rock Center with Brian Williams this THURSDAY 18th October. 

Please also spare a minute to sign this petition www.change.org/saveTripa2

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

 

 

 

 

Indonesian court cancels oil palm plantation permit

We heard this morning that the High Court in Medan has ordered the Aceh Governor, Zaini Abdullah, to revoke a permit for an oil palm plantation in the Tripa peat swamps in Aceh province in the north of the island of Sumatra. The appeal was filed by the Aceh chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi). This ruling is very good news for the future of the remaining orangutans in Tripa. It also demonstrates a commitment by the Indonesian government to enforce the laws protecting carbon-rich forests and endangered species. Read the full article in the Jakarta Post and keep up to date with the campaign to save Tripa at End of the Icons

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

 

Blind female orangutan can now see her baby twins

Yesterday we received wonderful news from Ian Singleton from the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme.  Gober, a blind female orangutan, sucessfully gave birth to twins in January. Now, after receving ground-breaking surgery, Gober, for the first-time, can see her twins. We wish her a speedy recovery and congratulate SOCP. Read SOCP's press release

One way to support ours and SOCP's work is to adopt Wenda, a gorgeous Sumatran orangutan.

Thank you

Orangutan Foundation

Orangutan Foundation visit national trade exhibition

Last week, Arif, our manager of Pondok Ambung Tropical Forest Research Station represented the Orangutan Foundation at a national trade exhibition, Harkopnas, in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan (Borneo). It was a great opportunity to introduce our work, talk about orangutans and the importance of the rainforest to Indonesian businesses and other parties.  

The exhibition was open by the Vice President of Indonesia, Bapak Prof. Boediono.  During the busy exhibition Arif met with the new head of Central Kalimantan Agency for the Conservation of Natural Resources (BKSDA), Pak Kholid, one of our key partners.  Arif said it was very exciting to be present there and have the chance to talk about our work.

More news soon!

Orangutan Foundation

More orangutans need rescuing

We are sad to report that the pregnant female orangutan, who had been chained up by her foot, has not survived. Worryingly, the same plantation have another 20 to 30 orangutans in need of rescue. See earlier blog Worrying trend - another orangutan rescued.

The orangutan's forest habitat should not have been cleared in the first place - they are an endangered species and protected by law. If clearing goes ahead a large enough area for the orangutans to live in should have been set aside. However, it seems there is only remnant forest surrounded by oil palm and with villages close by. The orangutans have no where to go.
We are in discussion with BKSDA (The Government Agency for Natural Resources) to find the best possible solution.  We have a rescue team in the field and we will do our utmost to save these orangutans. Rescues and translocations are costly in terms of staff time, logisitics and veterinary equipment and also the follow up care involved and not to mention ongoing habitat protection. Please support our crucial work.  You can donate via our secure online shop or via justgiving or by calling 0044(0)20 7724 2912.
More to follow soon.
Thank you.