MELISA IS BACK—WITH A BABY!
In the heart of the Hiran Watershed area within the Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park in Central Kalimantan, an unexpected encounter between a mother orangutan and her baby filled the BOS Post-Release Monitoring team with both curiosity and joy.
Initially, the orangutan was mistaken for Hilda—another female orangutan previously released. However, after closer observation and careful analysis, the orangutan was identified as Melisa.
Only occasionally spotted
Melisa is a rehabilitated orangutan who the BOS Foundation released into the Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park in June 2019. Since then, she has adapted well to her wild surroundings, blending into the forest canopy and only occasionally being spotted by our monitoring team. In mid-2023, the rangers saw her again—this time with a small baby clinging tightly to her back.
Melisa is a very dedicated mum with strong maternal instincts.
A protective mother in the wild
The baby orangutan she carried was still tiny, and Melisa kept a safe distance from the monitoring team, displaying strong maternal instincts. She soon disappeared into the dense canopy, making further documentation or observation nearly impossible. From this brief encounter, the medical and field teams estimated that the baby was likely born around June 2023.
Recently, our team has had a clearer sighting of Melisa and her baby. Now around two years old, the infant still clings closely to its mother. So far, the rangers have not been able to determine the baby’s gender due to the close physical bond.
Healthy and thriving in the forest
The good news is that both Melisa and her baby appear to be in good health. They were actively foraging for natural food and moving energetically through the forest. This behaviour indicates that Melisa has successfully adapted to life in the wild. She is raising her baby independently—a remarkable milestone in orangutan conservation.
Melisa’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of long-term monitoring in orangutan conservation. Her ability to survive and reproduce in the wild is the result of years of dedicated rehabilitation, release, and follow-up observation. We will continue tracking Melisa and her baby, hoping to learn more about the young one’s development and identity.
Learn more about our orangutan conservation work here.
