Duration: 27 minutes
Format: DVD (narrated in English and Indonesian)

The Story of Rimba takes place deep in the forest of Borneo, Indonesia, at the orangutan rehabilitation centre of Nyaru Menteng. It is the story of a small neglected orangutan, Rimba, and the sadness and struggles she endures before eventually discovering freedom.

As an educational documentary this film is unique as the story is told from an orangutan's point of view. Few of us are fully aware of the life journey of a poached orangutan and Rimba gives us an opportunity to experience this; from the cruel slaughter of their mothers, down the long road of captivity and for the lucky few to the joyful, and often hesitant, moment of reintroduction into the wild.

As Rimba's tragic story unfolds, the stark contrasts between the lives of a young orangutan and a young human become apparent, despite their often identical needs. The mental anguish of a captive orangutan is heartbreaking to watch. Fortunately for Rimba, her story is a happy one and she is rescued from her captors. Sadly, this is not the case for many poached infants.

Rimba is a symbol of the challenges of orangutan rehabilitation and release. From the learning and mastering of crucial life skills, such as nest building and foraging, to acceptance by other orangutans and recognition of forest dangers, the challenges of adapting to forest life for a domesticated orangutan are not easy.

Although this is the story of one orangutan, it is unfortunately the fate of many. It is not unusual for an orangutan to be orphaned at a young age, to witness the terrible death of its mother and to be mistreated by captors. This documentary allows you to experience the orangutans' struggle.

This film was made possible by the efforts of Alain Compost, a prominent wildlife photographer. Many of the actors are BOS employees.