With up to 97% DNA similarity, it is not surprising that the behaviour and intelligence of orangutans often display remarkably human-like traits. Let’s explore 10 fascinating facts that highlight the similarities between orangutans and humans. Orangutans... View Article
Welcome to another thrilling day at the Nyaru Menteng Forest School! Today, we’re hanging out with our favourite cheeky orangutans—Paulinus, Bumi, and their playful pals—for some epic fun with fresh-cut grass! The youngsters stumbled upon a... View Article
Temon, a 3-year-old female orangutan, and Lahei, a 4-year-old male, are skilled and independent explorers from the large Forest School group at the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre. Recently, they kept our surrogate mothers on their toes... View Article
Since 2020, the BOS Foundation has worked with the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada and the Bogor Agricultural University to install camera traps in the Bukit Batikap Protected Forest. Although they are called camera... View Article
Earlier this year, the BOS Foundation welcomed a wave of new personnel in three divisions: Post-Release Monitoring, Ecosystem Restoration–Forest Management & Development, and Ecosystem Restoration-Protection, Security, and Fire Management. Each division has its distinct roles and... View Article
Orangutans are arboreal primates. Most of their activities involve navigating the forest canopy by combining climbing, clambering and brachiating. Given that orangutans share 97% of their DNA with humans, it is intriguing to explore how their... View Article
When many orangutans come down with flu at the same time, our surrogate mothers and veterinarians work together to make a traditional tonic – onion juice mixed with honey. According to our vet, onions can help... View Article
In the lush canopy of Badak Kecil Island, amidst the rustling leaves and echoing calls of wildlife, Kheal, a remarkable orangutan, showcases her ingenuity in the face of challenges. As the morning sun cast its golden... View Article
Researchers observed a male Sumatran orangutan self-treating his facial wound with a healing plant. Even though there is evidence of certain self-medication behaviours in animals, the evolutionary biologists from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior,... View Article
When surrogate mother Eva recently got injured by a branch, she received unexpected emotional support. It was a usual day at the Nyaru Menteng Forest School, where young orangutans learn from one another while their human... View Article
Orangutans are also highly curious beings. Even though our Post-Release-Monitoring team is used to our red cousins’ inquisitive nature, a recent observation took them by surprise. Our PRM team at Camp Nles Mamse woke up to... View Article
Orangutans, a species that spends most of their time in the trees, can consume a vast variety of foods. Their excellent climbing abilities enable them to obtain fruits and other food sources inaccessible to ground-dwelling animals.... View Article
When our Post-Release Monitoring (PRM) team was recently on patrol, the canopy suddenly started rustling – and a surprising visitor appeared. It was Justin, a male orangutan released into the Kehje Sewen Forest in 2017. The... View Article
At now seven years old, Mema is in the sub-adult development phase. This stage of her life comes with quite a few changes as she grows and matures. Find out how they manifest themselves in Mema’s... View Article
In the heart of Central Kalimantan’s Salat Island cluster, we catch up with everybody’s darling, Big Boy Beni. Since 2019, the ‘Orangutan Jungle School’ superstar has lived on Badak Besar Pre-Release Island, where he endures a... View Article
Our Post Release Monitoring (PRM) team awoke to a sunny morning as they prepared to undertake a routine patrol in the forest. As usual, they departed from Camp Nles Mamse for the day’s expedition. Yunus and... View Article
Who remembers Petto? We have missed him since our Post-Release Monitoring (PRM) team from the Himba Pambelum Monitoring Camp in Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park Area, Central Kalimantan, last encountered him in August 2022. Now,... View Article
Jeffrey, an unreleasable male orangutan too old to undergo rehabilitation, is now sharing Island 0 with Yuyun, a female orangutan who the BOS Foundation team transferred to the island in February. Jeffrey was born in 1998... View Article
In May, the BOS Foundation successfully conducted its 25th orangutan release in East Kalimantan. Immediately after, the Post-Release Monitoring (PRM) team started their nest-to-nest observations on the five orangutans, paying particular attention to Mayer and Elaine.... View Article
Yuyun is a 29-year-old female orangutan with Orangutan Respiratory Disease Syndrome (ORDS) who previously occupied an individual enclosure at the Samboja Lestari Rehabilitation Centre. She is one of 23 individuals with chronic respiratory diseases cared for... View Article
Nothing is more boring than sitting behind bars in an enclosure and watching the day go by. But luckily, this is different for the orangutans in our care. Our enrichment team comes up with lots of... View Article
In our first release of 2023, the BOS Foundation team recently returned five orangutans to their wild home. It is one of those moments that still give us goosebumps: The second when one of our rehabilitated... View Article
Our Post-Release Monitoring (PRM) team recently translocated Hanung, who the BOS Foundation released to the Kehje Sewen Forest in 2016. Find out why. In addition to releasing and monitoring orangutans in the forest, the PRM... View Article
Orangutans are semi-solitary primates who spend the majority of their lives alone. However, in some orangutan populations, the females will gather in groups from time to time, especially during the fruiting season, when forest food is... View Article
One morning, a Post-Release Monitoring team made up of members Pel, Emen and Jeje, along with our veterinarian, Dr Made, went on patrol along Transect #9. Suddenly, they spotted a male orangutan. Who was it? Well... View Article
Recently, our monitoring team conducted nest-to-nest observations on Desi, a female orangutan residing on Juq Kehje Sewen, one of BOS Foundation’s pre-release islands in East Kalimantan. The team, consisting of Aluna, Ubay, Rustam, and Erik, had been... View Article
On a scorching day at Nyaru Menteng’s Forest School in Central Kalimantan, some students from Group 4 discovered the ultimate way to cool down creating mud bath time. Monte was the first to find a refreshing... View Article
Orangutans have distinctive personalities and unique physical characteristics. These make it easy for those who work with them to tell individuals apart. A few indicators our technicians use to identify orangutans are body size, facial features,... View Article
Enrichment is essential in keeping the orangutans in our care mentally engaged while learning vital skills. Dr Nadine Adrianna Sugianto, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham, is working on the Orangutan Enclosure Design Tool... View Article
Orangutans are fascinating to observe. If you pay attention closely, you will uncover a world of exciting behaviours and interactions. For example, when several individuals come together and form a so-called ‘party’. Our Post-Release Monitoring (PRM)... View Article
Alba, the Albino Orangutan thrives in Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park. Central Kalimantan, 28 February 2020 Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation recently released three more rehabilitated Bornean orangutans. Immediately following their release, the three orangutans were... View Article
