BACK-TO-BACK RELEASE
CANDIDATES FOR THE 42nd ORANGUTAN RELEASE FROM NYARU MENTENG
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia (KLHK), the Natural Resources Conservation Centre (BKSDA) of Central Kalimantan, and the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation will soon conduct the 42nd orangutan release from the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre to the Bukit Batikap Protection Forest. Here are the orangutan candidates up for release:
TACO
Taco was rescued from a resident of Ketapang District, West Kalimantan, and arrived at the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre on 20 May 2009. At the time, he was only two years old and weighed 3.7 kg. He was allegedly found without a mother.
After completing quarantine, Taco joined Forest School, where he followed the curriculum to learn vital survival skills. He was later transferred to Badak Besar Island on 29 January 2020 to undergo the final rehabilitation stage. Taco loved to explore the island and quickly passed all checks required to complete rehabilitation, thanks to his incredible skills.
Taco is now 16 years old, and after 14 years of rehabilitation at Nyaru Menteng, he is ready to embark on new adventures in the Bukit Batikap Protection Forest.
CARLOS
As an orphaned male orangutan, Carlos was rescued from Parenggean Village, Kotawaringin Timur Regency, Central Kalimantan, on 6 February 2004. When he arrived at the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre, he was 12 months old and weighed only 2.8 kilograms.
After passing quarantine, Carlos attended Forest School, then proceeded on to the prerelease rehabilitation stage on Kaja Island on 28 November 2018. While not a dominant figure, Carlos is a clever individual who is able to defend himself when he feels threatened.
Carlos is now 20 years old and, after undergoing a 19-year rehabilitation process at Nyaru Menteng, is ready to explore the Bukit Batikap Protection Forest as a true, wild orangutan.
MELANIE
Melanie was rescued from a resident of Buntok City, Central Kalimantan, by a joint team from the BOS Foundation and the Central Kalimantan BKSDA on 26 August 2013. She arrived at Nyaru Menteng when she was only 3.5 years old, weighing 12 kilograms.
At Nyaru Menteng, Melanie joined Forest School after undergoing the mandatory entry quarantine. There, she passed all levels with flying colours and entered the prerelease stage of rehabilitation on Salat Island on 30 March 2019. Melanie is a highly curious individual and loved to explore all over the island.
Melanie is now 14 years old, and after ten years of rehabilitation, she is ready for some new adventures in the Bukit Batikap Protection Forest.
Look at beautiful Melanie! She might soon catch the eye of some males in the forest.
CICI
It was on 28 November 2013 when Cici was transferred from the Samboja Lestari Rehabilitation Centre to Nyaru Menteng. Cici had initially been handed over to Samboja Lestari by the DKI Jakarta BKSDA on 8 January 2003, when she was about 3-4 years old. There, she grew up to be an independent, dexterous, and highly social orangutan.
By the time she arrived at Nyaru Menteng, Cici had already been in rehabilitation for ten years. At Nyaru Menteng, Cici first underwent another quarantine. On 26 November 2018, the BOS Foundation team moved her to Kaja Island for the prerelease stage of her rehabilitation. Today, Cici is easily irritated and can be quite a dominant female.
Cici, now 24 years old and armed with the skills she learned throughout her rehabilitation, is ready to enjoy true freedom in her new home – the Bukit Batikap Protection Forest.
Read also: A LONG DELAY ENDS IN TRIUMPH!
RAJAWALI
Rajawali was rescued from residents of Palangkaraya City, Central Kalimantan, on 21 November 2011, through a joint operation between the Central Kalimantan BKSDA’s Wildlife Rescue Team and the BOS Foundation. At the time of his rescue, Rajawali was only 12 months old and weighed 4.9 kilograms.
After completing all levels of Forest School at Nyaru Menteng, Rajawali proceeded to the prerelease stage of rehabilitation on Kaja Island on 14 February 2019. On the island, Rajawali was an active, highly alert orangutan who loved to explore.
After a 12-year rehabilitation process, Rajawali is now 13 years old and is ready to live wild and free in the Bukit Batikap Protection Forest.
OCHIE
Ochie is a female orangutan who was rescued from West Kalimantan on 24 December 2008. She was only two years old at the time of her rescue and weighed 5.7 kilograms.
After passing the quarantine period, Ochie attended Forest School and, on 5 December 2019, was transferred to Bangamat Island. Observational data indicates that Ochie quickly mastered the crucial skills needed to survive and thrive in the forest.
Ochie is now 18 years old. After 15 years of rehabilitation, she will soon be enjoying true freedom alongside her peers in the Bukit Batikap Protection Forest.
JUKI (RELEASED PREVIOUSLY)
Juki was confiscated from a resident in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, by the BKSDA on 28 March 2003, together with another orangutan named Susi. Little Juky was 18 months old and weighed 7 kg at the time, and alongside Susi, underwent quarantine before entering Forest School. After completing all levels of Forest School, Juki entered the final stage of rehabilitation on Kaja Island.
Juki is a dominant orangutan. In December 2016, he was released to the Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park Area (TNBBBR) in the Bemban watershed. However, he consistently and persistently entered populated areas. In order to avoid further conflict with a growingly anxious human population, he was transferred to a rehabilitation centre’s prerelease island. Juki is finally ready to be released again, this time into the more remote Bukit Batikap Protection Forest.
BATOLA (RELEASED PREVIOUSLY)
Batola was rescued from Banjarmasin City, South Kalimantan and arrived at Nyaru Menteng on 19 December 2007. At the time, he was five years old and weighed 19 kilograms.
After passing the quarantine period, Batola attended Forest School and worked hard through every stage. As Batola became more aggressive towards technicians and surrogate mothers, the BOS team decided to transfer him from Forest School to Kaja Island. On the prerelease island, Batola preferred to be alone and settled in one location.
Batola was released in 2020 in the Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park. However, since, like Juki, he entered a village area several times, the decision was made to return him to the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre.
Batola is now 20 years old and weighs 42 kilograms. In a matter of days, Batola will prove he can live as a wild, independent orangutan when he starts his new life in the Bukit Batikap Protection Forest.
CANDIDATES FOR THE 26th ORANGUTAN RELEASE FROM SAMBOJA LESTARI
The Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia (KLHK), the Natural Resources Conservation Centre (BKSDA) of East Kalimantan, and the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation will soon conduct the 26th orangutan release from the Samboja Lestari Rehabilitation Centre to the Kehje Sewen Forest. Here are the orangutan candidates up for release:
ELIONA
Handed over by a resident of Yogyakarta on 15 August 2001, Eliona had spent the early years of her life being kept illegally as a pet. She was only 3.5 years old when she first arrived at the Samboja Lestari Rehabilitation Centre. After passing the quarantine, Eliona joined other orangutans her age in Forest School. She graduated from Forest School in 2018, and the BOS team transferred her to pre-release Island #7, where she remained until 2021.
Because of a downpour on pre-release Island 7, she had to be returned to the socialising enclosure. During her time on the island, Eliona mastered nest-building and the ability to recognise and forage for natural food sources.
Our technicians report that Eliona has a disposition that can change at a moment’s notice: At first glance, she seems to be a calm and relaxed individual, but when approached, she will act aggressively towards both the technicians she has known for a long time and those who are new staff members. Eliona, 26 years old, now behaves like a true, wild orangutan and is ready to be released into the Kehje Sewen Forest.
Eliona will soon forage for food in her true home in the Bornean rainforest.
DIAS
A resident of Banjar Baru handed over Dias on 24 August 2001 after being kept as a pet for more than three years. Following quarantine, Dias joined others her age in Forest School and graduated in 2018. She was then transferred to Pre-release Island #7, where she further honed her survival skills. Because of a downpour on Pre-release Island 7, the BOS team had to return her to the socialising enclosure. However, she receives enrichment to help her improve his survival skills.
Dias learned to identify natural food sources during her time on the island and enclosure and became skilled at constructing comfortable nests. Despite her plump physique and grumpy demeanour, Dias often loses out in competitions amongst her peers. This 26-year-old female is more than ready to be released on the north side of the Kehje Sewen Forest.
OZI
Ozi is a 25-year-old adult male orangutan with cheek pads. He was handed over to the Tenggarong Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) on 1 September 2019 after he was found limping near a river around the PT. KMS/REA area in East Kalimantan. Ozi’s rescue was handled by the BKSDA, who captured him with only a net and anaesthesia, as he was so weak that he showed no resistance.
They admitted Ozi to the Samboja Lestari Rehabilitation Centre for intensive treatment. He was emaciated at the time of his rescue and had acute anaemia, as well as multiple abscesses. Following his treatment, Ozi was placed in a socialisation enclosure while he waited for his chance to return to the wild. The time has finally come, and he is ready for homecoming to the Kehje Sewen Forest.
GAMI
The Samarinda Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) rescued a flanged male orangutan, later named Gami, on 3 November 2021. Gami came from Bontang, where he was found in the working area of PT. Indominco. According to reports, Gami had grown accustomed to interacting with humans and was frequently offered food by PT. Indominco staff.
The BOS team placed Gami in a socialisation enclosure shortly after arriving at the Samboja Lestari Rehabilitation Centre and completing quarantine. There, he was given foods that are appropriate for orangutans and enrichment to reacquaint him with how to extract natural food sources. Gami is not an aggressive orangutan and is able to build sturdy nests. He is now ready to return to the wilds of the Kehje Sewen Forest.
