Update on clouded leopard

Quick update on the baby clouded  leopard that was rescued a few weeks ago. Our vet, Dr Fikri, is currently keeping it in his house with him being the only human that the leopard has contact with. The cub is very healthy, its hind legs have fully recovered and it always wants to play! A simple enclosure is being built for the leopard at Camp Gemini in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve and once it is finished the cub will be moved there.

Hopefully more news and photos to follow soon.

Thank you for your support,

Orangutan Foundation

 

Two adult male Bornean orangutans rescued in one week

Since January we have been receiving an increasing number of requests to rescue wild orangutans and move them to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Indonesian Borneo.  Within the last week we have rescued 2 adult male orangutans. These rescues not only demand extra staff time but are expensive and present a challenge especially at a time when we are having to make major cut backs in the UK and some in the field.

The first orangutan was reported in a community-owned plantation in Mendawai Seberang.  The owner said that the orangutan who was wandering round his plantation was a male. The Foundation team visited the plantation, which is a mixture of rubber, pineapple and oil palm.

Mixed Crop Plantation - the dominant vegetation is rubber and pineapple

In the rubber trees old and new orangutan nests were seen.

Orangutan nests found in the rubber trees

There was also the visible remnants of crop damage for example pineapple fruits that had been eaten by the orangutan. After a few hours of trying to find the orangutans, the team gave up.

Pineapple Fruit eaten by orangutan

About 5 days later the plantation owner telephoned us again because the orangutan was still causing damage to his crops.  Our team left for the plantation immediately and found the large adult male.

 

Orangutan in tree

Dr Fikri, our vet began preparing the anesthesia which he  administered by using a blowpipe, which was generously funded by Colchester Zoo’s Action for the Wild.

Drug Preparation

The orangutan was successfully darted first time.

Photos above: orangutan has been sedated

Weighing  and medical examination of orangutan

Orangutan in the Cage

After conducting health checks to ensure that no injury had occurred he was put into the cage. All rescued animals must be taken to the BKSDA (wildlife department) office.

Orangutan taken from the Plantation

Orangutan transfer to kelotok 

Orangutan at the BKSDA Office

The orangutan stayed overnight at BKSDA and the next day was taken to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.

Orangutan in Move to Kelotok

Last Friday, 11th May, the male was released into the Reserve. This involved having to transfer the 65 kg orangutan from the pick-up truck into a Kelotok (motorised canoe).  The river levels in the reserve were extremely low so it was decided that the orangutan should be released from the canoe rather than trying to lift the cage out and carrying to the forest.  As soon as the cage was opened the wild orangutan climbed straight out and up into the tree and moved off into the forest.

Orangutan in tree

Orangutan free in the trees

The second rescue occurred 2 days ago from an oil palm plantation near the village of Amin Jaya. It was another adult male, about 15 years old.  More details and photos to follow shortly.

Thank you for your continued support and thank you Carol Ritchie for you lovely email!

Orangutan Foundation

 

 

 

 

 

 

RELEASE ORANGUTAN

Photo 23. Orangutan From the BKSDA Office to the Karang Anyar

Photo 24. Orangutan in Move to Kelotok

Photo 25. Orangutan in Release I

Photo 26. Orangutan in Release II

Photo 27. Orangutan in the Trees I

Photo 28. Orangutan in the Trees II

New baby orangutan born in Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve

Dr Fikri, our vet, gave us a lovely surprise when he reported about the birth of an orangutan in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, in March.

The mother orangutan, Tiffany, was observed at  Camp JL, an orangutan release camp run by the Orangutan Foundation.  Staff tried to determine the sex of the new born but Tiffany was very protective of her son and fled when approached by field staff.  On one occasion the staff managed to see that the sex of the baby is male.  Up to now both Tiffany and her new baby are healthy and well.

Enjoy the pics!

Please help us to keep these orangutans save by supporting our Habitat Protection Guard Post Appeal

Sunda clouded leopard cub rescued

On Saturday April 28, we received information from our partners, Yayorin, that there was a baby Bornean clouded leopard,  or Sunda clouded leopard as it is now known (Neofelis diardi), which had been hit by a car in the village of Bayat, district of Belantikan Raya, Lamandau regency in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo.

The Orangutan Foundation team left the port town of Pangkalan Bun late morning and arrived at the village of Bayat four hours later. After some discussion with the villagers we saw the leopard cub which was being stored in a cardboard box and was silent and motionless.

 Dr Fikri, the Orangutan Foundation's vet, examining the cub being held by villagers

Information obtained from the villagers was that leopard cub was found at night on the road leading to the iron ore mining site.  They saw the mother clouded leopard walking across the road carrying her cub in her mouth.  When the iron ore vehicles passed they must have startled the mother who dropped her cub and ran away.  It is thought that the vehicle hit the cub, though very lightly.  The iron ore mining vehicles were heading to the port of Pangkalan Bun.

The people of Bayat village had been looking after the cub for 2 days before we arrived.

Orangutan Foundation vet with the cub

Baby clouded leopard weak and silent

Cub not able to walk

 

The good news is that the cub is progressing well and is in pretty good health. Initially it was always unsteady when standing and its walking wasn’t normal.  It had problems with both hind legs. This pain seems to have now gone and its walking is normal and sometimes it even climbs the wall of its cage.

Cub alert and seems healthy

 

It is eating and drinking. Its current weight is ± 2 Kg. Looking at the husbandry manual on the Clouded Leopard Project website this suggests its age may be between 60 and 90 days old.  It is still very early days for the cub.  More news to follow soon...

Thank you

Orangutan Foundation

Please consider a donation to support our work by visiting our website or bid on a Gary Hodge's print that is being auction in aid of the Foundation. Thank you!

 

Young orangutan rescued

This post comes from our Indonesian vet, Dr Fikri. On 18th April staff from the Indonesian Government’s Agency for the Conservation of Natural Resources (BKSDA SKW II) Pangkalan Bun office informed us that an infant orangutan (± 1 year) was at their Sampit office.

Dr Fikri and the rescue team drove the 5 hours to Sampit, along the dusty and pothole-ridden road.  After arriving at the Sampit office the team were shown the orangutan which was being kept in a holding cage. When approached, the orangutan was anxious and frightened and frequently “kiss squeaked” (the sound orangutans make when they are distressed).

Photo 1Orangutan in The Office BKSDA Sampit Area

Photo 2. Cage being lifted into Orangutan Foundation pick-up truck for the long jorney back to Pangkalan Bun.

 

The BKSDA staff said the orangutan was female and came from the community.  It was found in a public-owned rubber plantation near Patai village of Cempaga Hulu District, East Kotawaringin.  Bordering the rubber plantation was an oil palm plantation, PT. Tunas Agro Subur Kencana III.

Orangutan at the Office of BKSDA Pangkalan Bun

Dr Fikri examined the orangutan once back at the BKSDA office in Pangkalan Bun. After observing the orangutan we estimated her to be ± 3-5 years old, she was healthy and definitely still very wild!

 

 Examination by Dr Fikri finds her to be in good health.

On 23 April, the orangutan was taken from the BKSDA office to Camp Siswoyo in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.

Journey to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve. First by truck and then by boat (below).

 

Arriving at Camp Siswoyo in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve

Transfer to holding cage

The orangutan will be observed and gradually released into the forest. We hope because she is still very wild at heart that she will have no problems coping by herself in the wild. We hope to bring you more news soon.

Please support our Habitat Protection appeal to keep these orangutans safe.

White-rumped shama - a beautiful bird in Borneo

This post has been written by Wawan, our Finance Manager from our Indonesian office in Pangkalan Bun,  Central Kalimantan Borneo about his visit to Pondok Ambung. Experiencing Beautiful ‘Shama’

Its  such interesting experience when you go through the deep of Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan. You can enjoy an unforgetable long river journey to reach Pondok Ambung Research station, about 30 minutes down river from Camp Leakey.

I went to Pondok Ambung Research Station by Orangutan Foundation’s Speed boat as routine duty delivering fresh logistic from Kumai market on 15 April. Staying one night just sensing to be closer to the wildlife habitat there. Butterflies, birds, squirrel, and even little dragonfly can be found easily.

One bird was my interest, I see beautiful bird having long-black tailed and white rump, orange bellied, black head and black eyes as well. Its body size maybe only same as a little coffee cup but looking a bit thin because of its long tailed and neck. It kept jumping between branches, and some times stepping to the ground. Once it jump and step on the ground getting little worm by its beak, and suddenly swallow it.  After swallow the worm, it flew to perch on little branches and singing! Such beautiful long time duration sing.

Moments were capture by my camera, I though that I got some good pictures, not bad at all before it vanish away. Unforgetable and beautiful bird, I know the name is White-rump Shama (Copsychus malabaricus) from book literature, it residence mainly eating worms but occasionally ants and other insect, very clever often immitating other bird calls. Its threated by illegal hunting for their rich chuckling songs, people using this bird for Bird singing competition, now we see it free from threaths because they living in protected area Tanjung Puting National Park.

I think this is just a little story that representing my experience to be closer to wildlife especially birds.  I hope any of you like it. Thank you  Orangutan Foundation UK and Tanjung puting National park and also thanks for Arif Nugroho the manager of Pondok Ambung Research Station.

I hope You will get more interest from this little experience, thanks.

Wawan  (Bambang Setyawan)

OF-UK Finance Manager

Want to visit Tanjung Puting National Park? Visit our www.orangutan.org.uk

Video footage of baby freshwater crocodile

Watch this short clip of a baby tomistoma crocodile, also known as the false gharial. It was taken at Pondok Ambung Tropical Forest Research Station, Tanjung Puting National Park, Indonesian Borneo by Wawan, the Orangutan Foundation's Finance Office, who was on a logistic run to the field site.  This species of fresh water crocodile is listed as endangered on the IUCN Redlist. Thanks,

Orangutan Foundation

Universities interested in study at Pondok Ambung please contact Orangutan Foundation

Auction of Chimpanzee - a unique print by Gary Hodges

Auction of "Chimpanzee" - a Unique Gary Hodges signed limited edition print co-signed by actress Rula Lenska in aid of the Orangutan Foundation.

Fantastic opportunity to own “Chimpanzee” – a highly collectable print from a drawing. Printed on superb Fabriano 5 art paper, signed by world famous artist Gary Hodges (www.garyhodges-wildlife-art.com) and limited to 850 copies, it was published in 1990 and completely sold out many years ago.

“Chimpanzee” has sold many times on the secondary market for very high prices. This print has been made unique and all the more valuable with the addition of the signature of actress Rula Lenska.

Place your bids here.  Auction ends 15.00, 12th April 2012.

Another orangutan rescued

Our Vet. Dr Fikri, sent through this post about an orangutan that was rescued by BKSDA SKW II (Natural Resource Agency) from the town of Sampit, Central Kalimantan. The orangutan was a male and is thought to be ± 5 years old. In respect to and in memory of the late Pak Anton, who died tragically in a speedboat accident , we decided to name the rescued orangutan Anton.

In the morning, the orangutan Anton was taken to the safety of the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve (Central Kalimantan, Borneo) by boat. Anton arrived at Camp JL was given rambutan fruit (a favourite), bananas and milk.  Once inside his temporary enclosure Anton was still visibly stressed – running and climbing about all over his cage. He didn’t take the fruit or milk.  By the afternoon, Anton had calmed down and he had drank the milk and eaten all the fruit.  Anton will be monitored carefully to see how he adapts to his new environment.

We would like to thank our partners Care For The Wild International for their support of our work in Lamandau.  Please consider supporting our work by making a donation or adopting an orangutan.

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

We need your help and it will only take a minute!

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

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 21st 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. 

Tree where the wild orangutan fled to and climbed up

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.

Rescue team trying to capture the orangutan

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.  

Wild female orangutan high in tree

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.

Wild female Bornean orangutan

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.

Orangutan being weighed

Veterinary checks on darted wild orangutan

OF Vet Team attending darted wild orangutan

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

Orangutan Foundation vet, Dr Fikri with darted orangutan

Darted orangutan being taken away from the village

Orangutan being taken to BKSDA office in Pangkalan Bun

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

Orangutan, awake and alert, being transported to the wildlife reserve

Heading into the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve

Arriving at Camp Mangkung, site for the release of translocated orangutans - Orangutan Foundation

 

Wild orangutan being taken to a safe release site - Orangutan Foundation

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

Time to go back to the wild -Orangutan Foundation

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.

There's a released wild orangutan in there somewhere! Orangutan Foundation

Mission accomplished.... all photos by Orangutan Foundation

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. Pak Anton and Ashley Leiman after the return of 2 Bornean orangutans from Sumatra.

Pak Anton Wahyudi and his family

Image from Forest Rangers Blog

Pak Anton Wahyudi, head of BKSDA SKW II, in December, delivering his speech at the closing ceremony of an EC funded grant

Pre-funeral ceremony at BKSDA office in Pangkalan Bun

The coffin of Pak Anton Wahyudi being transported to Yogjakarta, in Java.

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.

Pak Anton, head of BKSDA SKW II

Young orangutan rescued

Meet Sampito, a male orangutan who recently arrived at Camp JL, in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Central Kalimantan, Borneo. Sampito, 3 year old male orangutan at BKSDA eating rambutan

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.

Dr Fikri with Sampito on speedboat to the reserve

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.

Dr Fikri arrives at Camp JL with Sampito

Sampito peering over Dr Fikri's shoulder at his new surrounding

Samput being put into his holding cage.

Sampito eating rambutan and bananas

Sampito with peeled rambutan in his mouth

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.

Mushrooms found at Pondok Ambung

Mushroom found at Pondok Ambung - Tanjung Puting National Park

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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.

Rough-sided Tree Frog

Dark-eared Tree Frog

Collet's Tree frog

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.

Idea Hypermnestra

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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.

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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.

Tarsius bancanus at pondok Ambung

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.

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. Bornean Orangutan female

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.

orphan orangutan Steph playing in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve

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.

Steph being bathed by Orangutan Foundation staff

Steph's "nest"

Steph in her cage.

Orphan orangutan Steph waiting to go out into the forest

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, male orangutan who took Steph for 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.

Terry Pratchett's SNUFF -proof copy for auction

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!