Orangutan Stories: Pegi

Each month we will be unveiling a story about the orangutans we care for at the Orangutan Foundation, and this month we focus on Pegi. Pegi is an adventurous young orphan who in her short time with us has transformed from a shy and nervous orangutan to one that is confident in the trees. So much so that recently Pegi evaded our team at Camp Buluh for two nights and stayed in the forest on her own for the very first time under the watchful eye of our team.

Pegi before she was rescued as a pet, and after she entered the Foundation’s soft-release programme.

Before entering our orangutan soft release programme within the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve, 8-year-old Pegi was a pet. In August 2019 she was handed over to government officials and Orangutan Foundation staff having spent the previous seven years alone inside a cramped wooden cage, during which time she was never released. She was also fed on a diet consisting of rice, noodles, fruit, and sugary drinks, conditions far from acceptable for a young critically endangered primate.

Spending so many years away from a forest it might be understandable to assume that Pegi would have lost any natural impulses, but as she is proving to our team of orangutan assistants, her wild instincts are very strong and she is quickly understanding and practising the skills necessary for a life in the wild.

When Pegi first arrived at our soft-release site in the forest, she was anxious of the water around camp. Now, one of her favourite things to do is take a gulp of water and spray it into the air!

On the morning of the 26th April, Pegi was taken out of her overnight enclosure by our team as usual to allow her to climb in the trees, eat bark, and play in the water. However later that morning Pegi decided to explore a little further than normal and follow a reintroduced female orangutan named Sugih into the forest.

Our team struggled to keep an eye on Pegi as she played high in the canopy, but in the afternoon she did something to surprise everyone, she began making her own nest. This is something that Pegi has never been observed doing before at camp, and sheltering from the rains that had swept over the forest, our team where amazed to see Pegi stay in her nest and sleep in the trees alone for the first time overnight.

With Orangutan Foundation staff keeping watch from below, Pegi continued her adventure through the forest the following day. Playing in Sugih’s nest and climbing from tree to tree, Pegi was observed eating young leaves, flowers, and fruits before adding more branches to her previous nest and settling down for another night in the forest.

This independent experience for Pegi shows how much she has progressed since her arrival last summer, however there are still abilities that need to be mastered before she is fully prepared for a life in the wild. With this in mind, our team were able to climb up Pegi’s tree on the afternoon of the 28th April and transport her back to camp where she can complete her education.

Pegi certainly appears to have the instincts for a future in the forest, and we hope that by refining her skills with fellow orphaned orangutan Okto, the pair will soon be able to be released from Camp Buluh together into the protected Lamandau Wildlife Reserve.

A message to our supporters

The outbreak of COVID-19 is a truly global challenge and an unprecedented time for all of us.

In our 30 years of work we have never before had to make such adjustments to our working environment both in the UK and in the field for the protection of wildlife and our staff.

As a result of this, for the first time since 1993 the Orangutan Foundation are sadly unable to publish and post out the Spring/Summer edition of our Red Ape newsletter. Unfortunately we are also currently not able to send orangutan updates and correspondence to our supporters in the post, instead we will be extending the membership and orangutan adoption renewals by three months.

We are extremely disappointed that this is a decision we have to make, but as a commitment to our loyal supporters, we will continue to keep you informed of our ongoing programmes via our website, social media, and email updates. If you’re yet to do so, please use the following link in order to subscribe to our monthly e-news messages and stay up to date on our news from the field.

While today’s challenges have resulted in some of our activities to be postponed, our dedicated teams in the UK and in the field are still working hard, and we hope that the next edition of Red Ape we can bring you later in the year will be a very special one celebrating our 30th anniversary.

Our mission is to provide a safe future for orangutans by protecting their crucial forest habitat, but the bedrock of our work has always been our loyal supporters, members and partners. We hope that we can rely on your support and understanding though this challenging time.

We wish the very best to all of our friends and supporters, hoping that you stay safe and healthy.

Stewards of the forest

The protection and restoration of tropical forest habitat remains at the core of ensuring a future for orangutans, not to mention the thousands of other species that rely on one of the planet’s most diverse ecosystems. Fortunately amidst the current climate, our guard post and habitat restoration staff are still hard at work.

By conducting regular patrols, guard posts can monitor and protect orangutan habitat.

Our guard posts continue to record wildlife sightings as they conduct routine patrols on the river and through the forests of the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve. This is an effective strategy to prevent illegal activities such as logging, mining and fishing from occurring within the reserve.

By planting new saplings around forest peripheries, we can restore orangutan habitat previously lost in forest fires. In particular from the large fires of 2015 which decimated vast areas of vegetation.

As well as protecting existing forest, restoring degraded areas of habitat is key to the survival of orangutans and to combat the effects of climate change. Last month from our plant nursery the habitat restoration team carefully chose 16,500 seedlings to be replanted in the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve. The selection process for every sapling is critical as there are a number of factors to take into account before they can be planted in the wild, and it can take many years for tree saplings to grow to a forest canopy level.

Firstly, our team ensure that each plant in the nursery is growing straight, has reached the minimum height, and has green and healthy leaves before they can be delicately transported to their planting site. It then takes time for each sapling to acclimatise to direct sunlight in the nursery. This adjustment will ensure that saplings have the best possible chance to mature into trees which one day could form part of the high forest canopy.

The nine different species chosen by our team are more fire-resistant and therefore have the best chance to regenerate forest that has been destroyed. Selecting the location for each species is also a crucial factor as the soil, water level and surrounding vegetation all influence how the saplings will develop. We will continue to monitor the progress of these saplings and hope that they can form part of the surrounding Lamandau Wildlife Reserve.

While activities in many parts of the world are currently at a standstill, we are proud that our staff in the field are largely able to persevere with our ongoing conservation programmes. You can help guarantee that these vital programmes continue by participating in a fundraising activity of your choice on Sunday 26th April through the 2.6 Challenge- an event you can complete at home to help UK charities.

Alternatively, you can support our work directly by sponsoring an acre of forest or purchasing an e-gift donation towards our programmes below.

Great apes also under threat from COVID-19

In light of the recent COVID-19 outbreak, it is not just ourselves who may be at risk from infection, but in fact all great apes. Today, people worldwide are taking necessary precautions to halt the spread of the virus to one another, and we must use these same principles in order to prevent other susceptible species from becoming a victim of the pandemic.

At this time it is not known what effect this virus has on orangutans, however when we consider that they share 97% of their DNA with humans, and that Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli species are classified as critically endangered, there is a genuine threat to these already vulnerable populations.

In an effort to temper the virus’s spread, eco-tourist sites such as Tanjung Puting National Park (above) have been temporarily closed to Indonesian and foreign visitors, much like well-known sites in Africa which have been closed to mountain gorilla viewings. At the Orangutan Foundation meanwhile, our teams continue to follow current safety measures in London and Indonesia.

In today’s unsteady climate, our priority of safeguarding orangutans and their forest environment remains a constant as we also protect our staff. Our habitat protection and restoration teams have taken note of the current warnings, and those caring for orphaned orangutans in our soft-release programme as always will continue to wear protective suits, gloves, and masks in the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve.

During this uncertain time your support is pivotal to our ongoing work more than ever, which is why on behalf of all of us at the Foundation, we would like to thank you for helping us do all we can to protect orangutans from this threat to their future.

Women working for a sustainable future

“Saving orangutans by protecting their tropical forest habitat, working with local communities and promoting research and education.” - This is part of Orangutan Foundation’s mission statement, and we work hard to provide a safe and sustainable future for Orangutans, Forests and People. It’s this final value, people, that can get overlooked, but local communities often rely on tropical forest environments as much as orangutans which is why we collaborate with them on all of our programmes.

Villagers practice sustainable farming techniques, such as processing ‘nipah’ fruit into brown sugar

It’s fitting that around the time of International Women’s Day, our team were working with a women’s farming association, local NGO Yayorin, and government officials to provide an educational workshop for harvesting non-timber products (above).

It was heartening for our team to observe 40 local people, the majority women, discussing and practicing a variety of farming techniques which may help create alternative sustainable livelihoods. As well as highlighting the need to reduce plastic waste, the workshop also provided the opportunity to raise further awareness of orangutans and the necessity to protect their forest habitats.

In the same week, our team also assisted with the coordination of a craft workshop where women from nearby villages could come together and learn new weaving skills. The group worked expertly to turn strips of an abundant plant known locally as ‘purun’ into durable mats which could be used at home or sold as an alternative household income.

Participants learn new mat-making techniques.

Young and old work together to refine their technique.

The finished article.

By empowering communities, especially women, to establish sustainable livelihoods; local people are not only able to generate their own natural sources of income, but are also far more likely to respect and the protect the surrounding forests and wildlife.

Giant Tomistoma released back into the wild

On Saturday 15th February, our team were on hand to support the dramatic release of a very large adult Tomistoma (also known as a False Gharial); one of the largest that our team have ever seen.

A couple of days beforehand, local government officials were notified of the fact that a crocodile had been found near a village not far from Pangkalan Bun in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. It was reported that the crocodile in question had incredibly already been captured by local villagers to keep their waterways safe, and once our team had arrived a short while later and observed the size of the reptile, it became clear what a herculean task capturing it must have been.

For its safety, the giant reptile is restrained during transportation.

Almost dwarfing the truck it was transported in, it took the efforts of several local people, government officers, and Orangutan Foundation staff to carefully transport the Tomistoma to a safe location in Pangkalan Bun where it could receive a medical examination.

The truly impressive specimen weighing approximately half a tonne was identified as male and measured a remarkable 4.7m from snout to tail. Our team were taken aback by the sheer size of this Tomistoma, and were delighted when physical tests confirmed that the crocodile had no injuries and was in fine health- ready to be released.

Tomistoma (Tomistoma schlegelii) are a member of the Crocodylidae family and inhabit the rivers and wetlands of South East Asia. Estimates suggest that there are fewer than ten thousand Tomistoma remaining in the wild.

Arriving at a suitable site within Tanjung Puting National Park, it took great care from the team to delicately remove the Tomistoma’s restraints and prepare for its safe release from the transport boat back into the wild. In a final dramatic twist, this large male showed a powerful example of his strength when in one sharp flick of his tail, he was able to shatter the wall of release boat’s kitchen as he descended into the river.

Fortunately no one was injured in the translocation of this large reptile. Collaboration between government rescue teams and local people played an important role in transporting the crocodile to a safe location where is will be able to hunt for food freely in the waters surrounding Tanjung Puting National Park.

How we safeguard orangutans outside of protected areas

Habitat loss is the single biggest threat to orangutans and their tropical forest environment. In under 40 years it’s estimated that almost 40% of Borneo’s original forest cover has been lost due to increased plantations, forest fires, mining, and logging. 80% of orangutans live outside of protected areas which means there are thousands of orangutans at risk due to their habitat being encroached upon and lost.

At the Orangutan Foundation we help safeguard protected orangutan habitats, the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve and Tanjung Puting National Park, however the need to support orangutans outside of these safe havens remains paramount. We do this is by engaging with local government, private sector and communities to share knowledge about orangutans and emphasise the importance of preserving their tropical forest habitats. The Foundation holds a number of workshops and training sessions for the survival of orangutans outside of protected areas. These have included:

Biodiveristy and Socio-Economic Survey Training

There’s nothing more important than field practice. This week in collaboration with the Arcus Foundation and local NGO Yayorin, we held technical training sessions to help local people monitor orangutan populations within oil-palm concessions, logging concessions, and community lands. During the two-day course, participants practiced GPS, socio-economic assessments, and learnt survey techniques for vegetation, orangutans and other species. Using these techniques can help improve our understanding of populations and demographics in regions which are more threatened by habitat loss.

Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Workshops

The aim of these workshops is to find ways in which local communities can co-exist safely with wildlife species whilst still maintaining a sustainable livelihood. With the help of partners TOP, we hope improved knowledge about orangutans and their forest habitats will help landowners avoid human-wildlife conflict, and lead to fewer rescues and translocations of orangutans in plantations and community lands.

Fire Prevention Workshops

Fires are a continuous threat during each dry season. The Foundation takes seriously the importance of outreach to all relevant stakeholders on the dangers of starting fires which destroy orangutan and wildlife habitat.

Fire-Fighting Training

The Foundation together with the government agencies, hold fire-fighting training throughout the year. Here groups are taught fire prevention and fire-fighting techniques, using GPS to help record outbreaks of fire so that they can be extinguished more rapidly.

By engaging with local stakeholders in sustainable land management decisions, we are giving a future for orangutans outside of protected conservation areas.

Donate to the Orangutan Foundation today to help us continue this vital work.

Looking back to 2019, and forward to 2020

As we commemorate our 30th anniversary in 2020, the Orangutan Foundation reflects on our work in 2019 and thank all of our supporters for helping us give a future to orangutans, forests and people.

In early 2019, we launched our Sponsor an acre appeal to support the Orangutan Foundation’s Habitat Protection Programme. This programme provided training in SMART technology to monitor orangutan habitat to the 25 local people we employ at our 10 forest guard posts in the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve and Tanjung Puting National Park, Indonesian Borneo. This area covers over 500,000 acres of diverse tropical forest, home to around 5,000 orangutans.

As a result of continuing forest surveillance, in 2019 our teams recorded fewer instances of illegal activity and habitat encroachment in comparison to previous years. This is an encouraging sign for the protection of orangutan habitat, demonstrating that guard posts are an effective deterrent to illegal logging, mining and farming.

The Orangutan Foundation welcomed local participation in a number of educational workshops and events last year. Highlights included, a three-day Conservation Fun Camp, inviting university students to study at Pondok Ambung Tropical Forest Research Station, and celebrating Primate Awareness Day with local people. In addition to these community events, we also awarded three local research grants to conservationists of the future.

Our Habitat Restoration Programme continued to grow in 2019 with over 20,000 saplings planted in areas of degraded forest habitat. These saplings of fire-resistant species have been grown in purpose-built nurseries and will help establish a healthy forest habitat in the coming years. In line with our 30th anniversary, we hope to plant another 30,000 young trees in 2020, bringing the total to 100,000 since 2015.

A group of 12 dedicated volunteers embarked on a three-week trip to Indonesian Borneo last summer through Orangutan Foundation’s Volunteer Programme. In spite of ‘no skills necessary’, alongside our team they managed to totally renovate an important government building within the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve, and had the opportunity to observe wild orangutans and other wildlife in the forest.

A combination of particularly dry conditions, illegal hunting and slash-and-burn farming techniques, meant that in 2019 our teams were involved in fighting the highest number of fires since 2015. Without the presence of our trained firefighting staff working with government officials, larger areas of the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve and Tanjung Puting National Park would have succumbed to further burning and habitat loss. We also installed six large wells positioned at strategic locations surrounding critical forest habitat which will be invaluable to fight fires.

The increased number of fires last year may also have contributed to the number of orangutan rescues our team performed. From mid-August to late November alone, our rescue team worked alongside local government officials BKSDA to rescue more orangutans than in the previous couple of years. In total, nine orangutans were translocated to the safety of the protected Lamandau Wildlife Reserve.

Our orangutan soft-release programme continued to care for orphaned infant orangutans at five release sites within the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve. Last year, our team were thrilled to release Shifa into the wild who was rescued as a two-year-old pet in 2016. Shifa excelled at learning essential forest skills, and like orphaned orangutan Panglima who had been rescued in March 2019, was released for an independent life in the wild in June. Pegi, rescued from life as a pet is our most recent newcomer and continues to acquire new skills day by day at her new forest home at Camp Buluh.

In 2019 we welcomed a two new additions to the forest. Seen above, orangutan mother Mores gave birth to baby Marsha at Camp JL in July, followed by Amina who was spotted at Camp Rasak with newborn Albie. Having recorded over 80 orangutan births since 2003, we’ve established a new population of orangutans within the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve and our teams look forward to welcoming more newborns in 2020.

Looking to the future, we prepare ourselves for another busy year in 2020, marking our 30th anniversary. All of our UK and Indonesian staff thank you for your support in helping to provide a future for orangutans, forests and people.

Wild orangutan rescued with severe injuries

On Saturday 30th November, our field team received an all too familiar report. Government officials BKSDA had alerted the team that an orangutan had been found with possible injuries by residents in an area adjacent to an oil palm plantation in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo.

Arriving at 9pm later that evening following a long journey to the reported site, our rescue team were met by the sound of dogs barking in the distance. They were alerted to the location of the great ape by one of these dogs who was owned by a local employee of the nearby oil palm plantation.

The orangutan is found on the ground before being sedated

On first sight of the orangutan, it was upsetting for our team to see that it was in a great deal of distress. Unlike the majority of orangutan rescues, it was unusual to see that this individual was not in a tree but instead on the ground.

Identified as a male orangutan, who when approached could only move a short distance along the ground due to his very weak state. After spotting multiple injuries on his body, our vet Dr Dimas and the team wasted no time in sedating the male and transporting him to a safer location where he could be examined thoroughly.

Dr Dimas prepares medication for the male orangutan

Weighting around 75kg and at an estimated 25 years of age. The most horrifying of his injuries was a large laceration to his left eye- an injury which will have blinded him.

Once sedated, rescue teams can begin examining the male

Clearly the orangutan had been shot in the past as multiple rifle pellets were found embedded in the skin; in both cheeks, the hip, and in the back of the neck. Sadly a further two larger pellets were also discovered in his left elbow which could have fractured or broken the bones in his arm on impact. Vitamin and antibiotic injections were administered to help fight infection

The orangutan receives a thorough medical examination

The poor condition of the orangutan’s wounds indicted that his injuries may have been made just a few days beforehand. It’s distressing to see that after all this time, incidents of human-wildlife conflict continue to occur.

In collaboration with BKSDA government officials, our team will continue to closely monitor the progress of this unfortunate male at a facility where he can receive essential medical attention. It’s disheartening for the team to witness this individual in such a horrifying condition.

Lamandau Wildlife Reserve welcomes new residents

Over the last few months of this year’s dry season alone, Orangutan Foundation staff have helped rescue and translocate double the number of orangutans than in the previous two years in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. One of these handovers was young female Pegi who had been kept inside a cage for the past seven years, but orangutans of course are not the only species that are kept captive illegally.

Earlier this month our teams were called upon once again to assist with wildlife translocations, but this time for different species who had been rescued by government officials or handed over as pets.

Gibbons are released into the forest and explore their new home

A couple of gibbons were the first animals to be released into the forest. Once their transportation crates were opened at Camp Buluh, the pair could be seen climbing to the very top of the canopy where they’re most at home swinging from branch to branch- that was until they were interrupted by male orangutan Yoko. Coming face-to-face with a large primate several times their size might understandably be intimidating for a gibbon new to this habitat, but following a brief pause to observe one another, the individuals soon parted ways and continued roaming through the trees.

Yoko and newly released gibbon lock eyes for a moment

Also released with this pair of apes into the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve was perhaps one of the most beautiful tropical birds found in these forests- the Rhinoceros Hornbill. These large birds are a crucial seed disperser in the forest. After feeding on fruits and berries in the canopy, they can then carry the seeds for many miles before depositing them elsewhere. Our team were elated to see an individual finally stretch it’s winds and be released back into the wild by Camp JL.

A hornbill is transported for release at its new home within the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve

Our team’s final translocation was a young female sun bear named Bella. Without its mother, a sun bear cub may find life in the forest challenging as they’re yet to learn the best methods to search and forage for food. It’s for this reason why our team at Camp Gemini have introduced Bella into a habituation enclosure where she can first become accustomed to her forest surroundings before being released.

One-year-old Bella is introduced to her new temporary home at Camp Gemini

It’s worrying to know that some individuals still see wild species as potential pets, but it is at least reassuring for us to know that the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve is a habitat that is protected and can therefore offer the possibility of a new beginning for these wildlife species, as well as orangutans.

To help protect these forests, please show your support between midday 3rd to 10th December 2019 via our Big Give appeal, which will double any donations in this time!

Mother and baby orangutan rescued and reunited

Following on from the 6 individuals who have been rescued and translocated since mid-July, Orangutan Foundation staff in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo were alerted to yet another emergency earlier this month.

Reports from BKSDA government officials suggested that an orangutan had been found by a group of villagers who had discovered the great ape when it ventured into an area of community plantations- quite possibly searching for food as a result of the remnant fires that have blotted the region in recent weeks.

On arrival, our team were able to observe that the orangutan was a female who had already been independently captured by the local people and put inside a transport crate. Explaining that this action should only be conducted by trained personnel, Orangutan Foundation staff then began their journey back to base with the orangutan in toe. However as our team were to soon find out, this was not the end to this orangutan’s story.

Shortly after the rescue our team received a worrying piece of news. It transpired that during the capture of the female orangutan, she had also been separated from a young infant that local residents wished to keep as a pet. Fortunately however, Orangutan Foundation and BKSDA officials were again on hand to rescue the orangutan baby from the community and reunite it with its mother.

Our vet was very pleased to see both orangutans in good health following medical examinations and observe the infant immediately feeding once reunited the mother. The 16-year-old female who had been given the name Kina, appeared to be very active as she breastfed Kino, her 2-month-old son.

Kina is anesthetised and undoes her medical examination

A few days after their initial rescue, our team were so relieved to see Kina and Kino immediately take to their new forest at the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve as they quickly climbed out of their transport cage into the trees. It’s always an uplifting experience for us to release orangutans back into the wild where they belong, and then for them to behave as if they’d never left.

On the other hand however, it is a concern that today we are still seeing orangutans in need of rescue, and perhaps more worryingly that some local communities remain keen on keeping these great apes as pets.

Kina and Kino race out of their transport crate into the protected Lamandau Wildlife Reserve

Fires burn as the dry season continues

As the UK Summer fades into Autumn, in Indonesia, the dry season is still in full swing. Dry conditions have created an environment that enables fires to spread quickly across the land, and as reported extensively in the media, recent fires across South East Asia have contributed to a blanket of haze that currently hovers over much of the subcontinent.

These fires are often the result of traditional farming methods. Towards the end of a dry season, farmers in this part of the world will routinely use a slash and burn agricultural technique to clear their land and provide better conditions for crop regeneration. Local communities may also use this method in order to create clearings so that they can hunt for deer or wild boar, however in particularly dry years, these fires can burn out of control for prolonged periods of time and contribute to the levels of haze that have been reported in recent weeks.

The Lamandau Wildlife Reserve in Indonesian Borneo is an area of forest protected by Orangutan Foundation, but it’s western region has been subject to fires during this dry spell which can creep into the reserve. Our field teams and guard post staff have worked with locals officials on occasion into the night to battle the flames and stop the spreading. They continue to be on high alert for any potential fires before the much-needed rains come, but we are indebted to their efforts in protecting this vital wildlife refuge.

Fortunately this reserve and the significant orangutan population in it’s interior are under protection from skilled government and Orangutan Foundation staff who are trained and equipped to prevent outbreaks of fire, however their operations would not be possible without ongoing support. To become a Guardian of the Lamandau and help protect this ecologically rich environment all year round, please support our work by exploring the link below.

Caged for 7 years. Young orangutan kept as a pet is finally offered a lifeline

It’s never a phone call we wish to receive, but in the same week that our team rescued a pair of wild orangutans from an isolated oil palm plantation, we received news of another orangutan being kept as a pet also in need of rescue. The owner had contacted government officials as they could no longer care for the ape, and therefore Orangutan Foundation staff were called upon to assist.

Arriving at the property where the orangutan was being kept in Central Kalimantan, Borneo, it quickly became apparent that the individual had been kept there a very long time. Our team tentatively approached a wooden crate with litter strewn on the ground surrounding it.

The orangutan had been named Pegi by her owner. It transpired that Pegi was a female orangutan found as a 1-year-old in 2012 and incredibly had been living in her cramped wooden crate as a pet for the following 7 years on a diet of rice, noodles, fruit and sugary drinks. Certainly not a diet suitable for orangutans.

After obtaining as much information about the young orangutan as possible and informing the owner of the prohibitions around keeping wild animals’ captive, our team freed Pegi from her cage and transported her to a government facility (BKSDA) where her health could be inspected.

Fortunately under examination Pegi seemed in good health, and as her blood tests received the all-clear, she was ready to be taken to her new home at Camp Buluh in the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve. It’s here that she’ll join another orphaned orangutan, Okto, in our soft-release programme, with the hope of one day being released into the wild.

The early years of any orangutan’s life are the most important in order to learn how to survive in the wild. With Pegi’s traumatic start to her young life, and perhaps never even climbing a tree before, she will need encouragement to learn these skills in the best possible training ground there is- the forest.

Pegi is given some browse as a form of enrichment

Orangutans rescued from oil palm plantation marks International Orangutan Day

While people around the world celebrated the red ape this week, our team have had a busy few days spent rescuing orangutans in need. To go behind the scenes and understand some of the challenges still facing orangutans, our team in the field have put together a timeline of our most recent orangutan rescue:

Orangutans high in the canopy

Mother and infant climb higher into the trees

Friday morning- It was reported to government officers this week that an orangutan had been spotted within a community oil palm plantation in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. Once the location had been determined, our orangutan rescue team were then called upon to assist.

Friday 11:45am - On arrival, a female orangutan was observed with an infant in an isolated copse of trees, entirely surrounded by oil palm plantation. With the dimensions of this tiny patch of fragmented forest being a mere 10x20 metre area, and any suitable nearby forest considered too far away for the pair to travel, a decision was made to rescue them from this remote island of trees for their safety. In practice however, the strong winds and height of the trees made tranquilising the female a very difficult task, and it wasn’t until several hours later that the pair were finally safely brought down from the canopy.

Oil palm plantation completely encompass the pair and their small fragment of forest

Friday 6pm - With the light beginning to fade, and the female orangutan under sedation, it was the role of the veterinary team to perform a quick physical examination to check the health of the pair. Under initial inspection, it was observed that they were in relatively good health except the mother had several air rifle pellets embedded in her skin, and therefore required further attention. As the night drew closer, the pair were then carefully transported to a temporary facility for them to rest.

Sunday evening - In honour of Indonesian Independence Day on the Friday, the 16-year-old female orangutan had been called Augustine, and her young, who had been identified as a 2 or 3-year-old male, named Augusta. They had both rested and recuperated from their rescue, and now our team were required to act fast to try and observe the number and severity of Augustine’s gun pellet injuries.

Sunday 9pm - In order to monitor the number and location of the bullets in Augustine’s skin, she was taken along with Augusta to a nearby public hospital so that she could be X-rayed. After being safely anesthetised, she was found to have 7 air rifle pellets lodged in her skin.

Sunday 10:15pm - It was at this point that our veterinary team, alongside government officials, began the minor surgical procedure of removing as many bullets as possible from Augustine. The delicate operation was able to remove 5 of the pellets, with a further 2 too deeply embedded into her tissue to be able to safely extract. Fortunately, Augustine appeared to come out of the hour and 15 minute procedure in good health.

Air rifle pellets removed from Augustine’s skin

Monday 2pm - As the previous evening’s medical procedure had run so smoothly, the following day after a final check-up from our team, Augustine and Augusta were given the all clear to be released back into the wild. A safe area within the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve was selected as an ideal relocation site as this region is protected by Orangutan Foundation guard posts, and after a short boat ride, the pair were happily released into the forest. Once their transport cage was opened, our team were able to catch a quick glimpse of the orangutans before climbing into the nearby trees.

Augustine and Augusta are resealed safely into the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve

It’s encouraging to know that Augustine and Augusta will now be able to thrive in their new protected habitat. However, witnessing these orangutans initially stranded in the last remaining forest due to habitat loss, shows hows orangutans remain under threat and that the work of the Orangutan Foundation is still needed.

To find out how you can become a Guardian of Lamandau and protect Augustine and Augusta’s new home, please explore our website.

How guard posts play a crucial role in orangutan conservation

At the Orangutan Foundation, two main areas of orangutan forest habitat where we work are Tanjung Puting National Park and the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve in Indonesian Borneo. Together they cover over half a million acres of forest- almost twice the size of Hong Kong. It’s therefore essential that the Foundation’s guard post teams are skilled and well trained to monitor the forest and waterways within this vast area.

During regular patrols, the team record wildlife sightings like these recent images from Tanjung Puting National Park.

Habitat loss is the largest threat to orangutan populations today; for example, it is predicted that by 2080, between 70-80% of prime orangutan habitat will be lost in Borneo alone if current trends continue. The role of guard posts as a deterrent therefore is vital to ensure intruders do not encroach or enter these parks illegally, damaging or degrading the environment which is essential for orangutans and other wildlife.

Fire fighting is another important role in the field that make these outpost sites so vital. Each one is prepared with fire fighting equipment, and the Foundation works closely with training and supporting the team to be vigilant in spotting forest fires and then safely extinguishing them with as little damage to the habitat as possible. These fires are a potential threat year on year, in 2015 for example an area the size of Wales was lost to forest fires alone in Indonesia, so to have our team patrolling these sites is of paramount importance to orangutan protection and the surrounding area.

We are incredibly grateful to have such a skilled and hardworking team here at the Orangutan Foundation, but they still require support. Find out how you can help from as little as £2.

Welcome baby Marsha. Mores gives birth to third offspring.

Mores, a resident of Camp JL in the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve, Indonesian Borneo, had been spotted actively feeding and moving around the surrounding areas on a regular basis in recent months by our field team.

Although she was identified as being pregnant, a due date for her newborn was unknown until our local staff were able to capture the following shots of her with her baby holding on tight:

This is Mores’s third child after giving birth to Marcell and Martin in previous years- a positive indication to the health of Lamandau Wildlife Reserve for breeding orangutan mothers.

To continue the ‘M’ lineage, and as the newborn has been identified as a female, the newborn has been named Marsha. Our team hope to continue to keep an eye on their progress going forward.

Find out how you can help protect their precious habitat by becoming a Guardian of Lamadau!

Intimate images of crocodile mother and her newborn hatchlings caught on camera

Reptiles may not be considered the most maternal of creatures, but newly hatched crocodiles are in fact looked after by their mothers until they are strong enough to fend for themselves- often for as long as two years!

Our monitoring team located in Tanjung Puting National Park were fortunate enough to witness a mother and her nest using remote camera traps so as not to disturb her natural behaviour.

She was observed guarding the nest, listening to her young’s calls as they hatch, and then gently clearing a path for them to emerge from the undergrowth.

If you listen carefully, you can even hear the hatchlings calling from the nest.

Footage such as this is rarely seen, so to be able to use technology in order to witness this intimate behaviour without disturbing the animals is remarkable.

Once hatched and emerged from the nest, the young can be seen exploring their new home.

Hiding in plain sight: After a closer look, several hatchlings can be seen amongst the vegetation.

To be able see this behaviour is exciting for all of us, but also an indicator of the health of these important waterways. Watch this space for any future observations!

Two rescued orangutans returned to the wild

Two critically endangered orangutans are now back in the wild, where they belong, thanks to the dedicated work of the Orangutan Foundation’s team and the Natural Resources Conservancy Agency of Central Kalimantan (BKSDA).

Both orangutans were wild born but tragically ended up orphaned and rescued by Orangutan Foundation. Shifa was rescued from being kept as a pet in September 2016, when she was only 2-years-old. Panglima, was rescued at the end of March 2019, from community forest, he is thought to be about 5-years-old but showed extremely wild behaviour (read more about his rescue).

Shifa rescued in September 2016

Habitat loss is forcing wild orangutans into closer contact with humans. We can’t say for sure what happened to the mothers of Shifa and Panglima but it is most likely they were killed, because they were considered as pests. As an infant, Shifa would have been clinging to her mother and so she was taken to become a pet. Panglima, being older and more independent, must have been apart from his mother when she was killed.

Panglima rescue by Orangutan Foundation and Wildlife Department (BKSDA) Central Kalimantan

Shifa was taken to the 158,000-acre protected Lamandau Wildlife Reserve, Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. She lived at Camp Buluh, one of five post-release monitoring sites in the reserve, which she shared with another orphaned orangutan, Okto. The two young orangutans were great playmates and Okto helped Shifa to adjust to her new life.

Okto (left) and Shifa (right)

Shifa always displayed very wild instincts and, as she got older, these became stronger and more evident. Increasingly she would go off exploring the surrounding forest and was reluctant to return to her enclosure at night.

Shifa in her nest and increasingly reluctant to go back into her enclosure.

It was decided to release Shifa before she released herself! When an orangutan is fully released back to an independent life, Orangutan Foundation staff follow the individual for up to two weeks to ensure the orangutan is able to survive. Ashley Leiman OBE, Orangutan Foundation Founder and Director/Trustee, was present for the two releases and was encouraged to see how readily both orangutans clambered up into the trees to begin their new life.

As soon as the transport cage door opened, Shifa shot straight out and climbed up the nearest tree

Shifa and Panglima have had to overcome massive hurdles early on in their life. Our challenge now is to ensure the rest of their life is spent in the wild. We are doing this by safeguarding their globally important forest habitat in Lamandau Wildlife Reserve. Orangutan Foundation actively monitor the reserve with a network of guard posts and regular patrolling to prevent illegal activities from destroying the forests and harming wildlife.

Why play is important for young orangutans

The orphaned orangutans in our soft-release programme in Lamandau Wildlife Reserve, Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, are taken out to play in the forest every day. Play-time is crucial for the young orangutans as it allows them to watch and learn from each other. Together, they find food and build nests. Play helps to build up their strength and climbing skills. This video, taken recently, show’s Mona “at home” in the forest. Just watch how she uses her hand-like feet and every-which-way hips to move with such ease and confidence.

The next video clip shows Nyunyu eating bark with Mona (above right) watching and joining in.

Partnerships for Protection

Most people’s idea of orangutan conservation would evoke a picture of a life in the wild, tracking these charismatic apes through the forest, rescuing and releasing them into a sunlit canopy. While this is one element, the reality of our work is a much bigger picture.

Release of orangutan back into the wild

Orangutan conservation must address the complex issues affecting the wider landscape and habitat, and this involves an in-depth understanding of land management and negotiation with government, communities, and private sector stakeholders. It sometimes feels far from the animals in the forest, but it’s fundamental to their future survival.

This week, Orangutan Foundation and the Central Kalimantan Wildlife Department (BKSDA) held a workshop on Management of Wildlife in Protected Forest and Production Forest Areas and a Forum on Orangutans and Oil-Palm Plantations.  There were more than 30 participants from parties including the Directorate of Biodiversity Conservation (KKH), Ditjend KSDAE-Ministry of LHK, Central Kalimantan Orangutan Forum (Forkah), Central Kalimantan Forest Service, Orangutan Foundation (OF-UK Indonesia), Korindo Group, Wilmar Group, and Central Kalimantan BKSDA.

Workshop participants including Directorate of Biodiversity Conservation (KKH), Ditjend KSDAE-Ministry of LHK, Central Kalimantan Orangutan Forum (Forkah), Central Kalimantan Forest Service, Orangutan Foundation (OF-UK Indonesia), Korindo Group, Wilmar Group, and Central Kalimantan BKSDA.

Forum on Orangutan and Oil-Palm Plantations

The big issue for the Bornean Orangutan species is that 80% of the population are extremely vulnerable, as they live in forest habitats with no active protection (i.e. not inside a national park or wildlife reserve).

Active habitat protection: Orangutan Foundation guard post monitoring the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve, Central Kalimantan Indonesian Borneo

These forests, which have been shrinking dramatically over the last few decades, and the animals that live there, are at risk as most of them are in active ‘concessions’ – areas where access to the land has been granted for some form of industrial use. There are many different legal designations, including natural timber concessions, industrial timber plantations and areas of forest still remaining inside oil-palm concessions, as well as forests on community lands. There are also areas of ‘Hutan Lindung’, Protection Forest, a special designation where the forest provides a wider ecosystem service to protect soils and water catchment. Proper management of these forests is crucial to mitigate conflicts between humans and wildlife and to reduce the number of isolated orangutans that end up needing to be rescued.

At the end of the two days, all of the participants agreed to sign a joint commitment to implementing Best Management Practices focused on the protection of orangutans and wildlife in Production Forests and Protection Forests, as well as in oil-palm plantations. This is a vital step forward in securing the survival of the Bornean orangutan; and for this we are very grateful for the continued support from all our members and donors and in particular, to the Arcus Foundation.  The next step is to ensure these commitments made on paper translate to commitments on the ground.

Wild Bornean female and infant orangutan. By Ian Wood