Orangutan Stories: Batuah

In our latest remarkable orangutan rescue, we’re reminded not only of the challenges facing this critically endangered species, but also the dangers imposed on our wildlife rescue team. Everything doesn’t always go to plan:

Wildlife rescues can be dangerous for both animals and humans

Many residents of the small village of Batuah in Central Kalimantan, Borneo, rely on farming as a source of food and revenue. Situated on the outskirts of Sampit, the largest town in the area, Batuah sits beside tropical forest and is therefore frequented by wildlife from time to time.

Over the past year or so, one villager had been keeping his eye on a male orangutan that seems to reside in the forest nearby. That was until recently when the primate was seen a few days in a row in their orchards eating pineapples and jackfruit. To avoid a potentially hazardous encounter, it was time for government officials BKSDA and Orangutan Foundation’s rescue team to swing into action.

Villagers gather as our vet helps the orangutan

Arriving at the scene, our team could see that they might have a struggle on their hands. Although the orangutan showed no aggression, he was clearly a large and imposing figure, and surrounded by many villagers. For his safety he needed to be tranquilized and translocated to an area where he could roam freely.

Carefully the 55kg male was darted, captured safely in a net, and given a brief once over by our vet. It needed the help of some local people to lift the orangutan and get him into his transport crate. At first sight he had many cuts on his feet, most likely from sharp rattan and rubber trees in the plantation, but more worrying were the number of bullet wounds found on his skin. It’s unclear whether these came from residents of the village or further afield, but before he could be released into the wild, we would need to investigate the great ape’s injuries in more detail without so many people around.

The orangutan goes under the knife

The orangutan was given the name Batuah, after the village, and transported to offices in Pangkalan Bun for inspection. Unfortunately, eight rifle-pellets were found still lodged in Batuah’s skin so he would require minor surgery before being eligible for release.

For his operation, Batuah received an anaesthesia injection to send him to sleep but the large male was still moving while being taken to the surgery table. Carrying out treatment on such a powerful animal is extremely dangerous if they’re not completely anaesthetised so a second half-dose was required to make sure Batuah wouldn’t feel a thing. One, two, and then three pellets were successfully removed without incident, until our vet noticed something- Batuah was starting to move again!

For the safety of everyone involved, the team made the quick decision to end the surgery there and then. Batuah was hurriedly moved back into his transport crate where he could wake up in peace, and thankfully it appeared that the remaining pellets in his skin were not causing any pain or limits to his movement. With another day to gather his strength and recover from his surgery, the great ape would soon be ready to go back to the wild.

Batuah is taken by boat to a safe haven

The next day our team carried Batuah in his travel crate onto a speed boat and took him upriver into the safety of the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve. They were thrilled to see him dart out of his cage on his release and then sprint up into the forest canopy, safe and free. In his new home, Batuah can roam in confidence without the need to take food from plantations as if he’d never left the forest.

His story is one that perfectly summarises the challenges facing most orangutans in the wild today. The growth of human activity must expand into something, and in many places, it encroaches into forests which in turn leads to more human-wildlife interactions and conflict. The fact that Batuah can now survive in a protected habitat makes him one of the lucky ones, but as our towns and farmlands continue to expand, the number of rescues required will only increase.

In fact as we go to print, we’ve received news that a gibbon has also been rescued from a nearby village having been kept as a pet for seven years. It’s hoped this primate will also be released into the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve.

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.

Rescued orangutan soon ready for release back to the wild

When Panglima was first rescued he wouldn’t use the tyre swing or browse in his enclosure - the team looking after him felt sure he would but it would take time for him to adapt to his new surroundings. They were right!

Panglima, a rescued wild Bornean orangutan is very wary of humans.

These images show Panglima using the swing and he gathers up browse (the branches and leaves he is given) and makes a nest.

Panglima using his tyre swing and browse

He eats plenty of fresh fruit and is active and healthy. He is still wary of humans and moves away when someone approaches the enclosure, but this is behaviour we want him to retain.

Panglima is a wild orangutan and though he is quite young he will be released back into the wild in June. He’ll be followed by our post-release monitoring staff. If he needs it he will have access to supplementary fruit.  Watch this space for an update on his return to the wild.

Though still young Panglima is very wild and he will be better off living in the forest.

The Story of Rawit

Once again we are seeing what happens to orangutans when they are stranded in pockets of forest with oil-palm on one side and villages on the other. On 18^th October, a female orangutan of around 5 years of age was rescued in Central Kalimantan. This is the story of Rawit, as sent by our vet just a few days ago.

BKSDA (Indonesian Nature Conservation Agency) staff received news from local police that villagers had a young orangutan in their possession that they wished to surrender.

When the team arrived to confiscate Rawit, it was noticed immediately that her limbs were very swollen, especially her left wrist, as a result of being tied up.

Shortly after the rescue, Rawit was placed in the Foundation’s care. After a couple of days of being cared for by our staff, the swelling was significantly reduced and Rawit was able to grasp the side of her cage which she couldn’t before.

Rawit has now joined our soft-release programme within the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve where staff will continue to monitor and support her progress until she is considered ready for release.

To help us provide Rawit and other orangutans on our soft-release programme with the very best care, please consider adopting an orangutan. All proceeds go directly towards supporting the Foundation’s soft-release programme.