The Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation and the East Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) are conducting a fourth release for 2019 in the Kehje Sewen Forest, East Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan. Four orangutans will be released this time, bringing the total number of rehabilitated orangutans released in the forest to 111 individuals.
Samboja Lestari, East Kalimantan, 26 August 2019. The BOS Foundation, in cooperation with the East Kalimantan BKSDA, is again releasing orangutans that have completed the rehabilitation process at the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Today, four orangutans will be released into the Kehje Sewen Forest, an 86,450-hectare Ecosystem Restoration Concession area located in East Kutai Regency.
DR. IR. JAMARTIN SIHITE, MSC., BOS Foundation CEO, said; «In the month of August, we celebrate Indonesia’s Independence Day. For us at the BOS Foundation, this month also means freedom for orangutans, especially since International Orangutan Day falls annually on 19 August. This month we will celebrate with the release of four more orangutans, which means that since 2012, we have released 111 orangutans in the Kehje Sewen Forest.
We hope that our continued release efforts help to reduce the threat of extinction for orangutans. However, the BOS Foundation is still accommodating as many as 500 orangutans in two rehabilitation centres. We still need to find suitable forest areas under the Ecosystem Restoration Concession scheme, with the support of all parties, particularly from the central and regional governments. This, backed by stricter law enforcement and public education on the protection of orangutans, will greatly assist the orangutan conservation effort.»
IR. SUNANDAR TRIGUNAJASA N., M.M., Head of East Kalimantan BKSDA, said; «Since June, 3 cooperative efforts between the East Kalimantan BKSDA and the BOS Foundation have seen the release of 10 orangutans – five males and five females - to the Kehje Sewen Forest. Today, we release four more: one male and 3 females. The number of orangutans that can be released in one location is limited, and we still need to monitor how they are adapting to life in the wild.
I need to emphasize that nature conservation is a responsibility that does not solely lay on the shoulders of the BKSDA and the BOS Foundation. This massive task must involve all stakeholders, since we all reap the benefits of conservation. The government, the community, and mass organisations, including those from the private sector, must support each other in continuing efforts to conserve natural resources in East Kalimantan, in this case orangutans and other wildlife. Our community can also play a role in prevention, by reporting illegal activities, such as the capture, killing, or keeping of orangutans as pets. Let's work together to protect our forests and the biodiversity within them.»
This orangutan release is also supported by PT. Bank Central Asia Tbk., a loyal supporter of the orangutan conservation effort by the BOS Foundation since 2012.
MINGTO PURBA, Head of Regional Office XI PT. Bank Central Asia Tbk. (BCA), added; «Many are not aware that the orangutan plays a significant role in clearing the canopy to provide sunlight to the forest floor, which assists with reforestation. These seemingly small yet important functions are what drive BCA to continue supporting the orangutan conservation activities carried out by the BOS Foundation.»
The BOS Foundation would like to express its deepest gratitude to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, East Kalimantan BKSDA, East Kalimantan Provincial Government, Regional Governments in East Kutai and Kutai Kartanegara Regencies, as well as the people of East Kutai and Kutai Kartanegara Regencies. We would like to thank the patrons whose the support made these release activities possible, notably institutional funding from BOS Switzerland, and our other global partners (BOS Germany, BOS UK, BOS Australia, and Save the Orangutan); and BCA as the national leading bank, as well as supporters of conservation throughout the world for assisting our efforts to save and rehabilitate orangutans, and broader orangutan conservation in Kalimantan.
Editors Note :
Djati Witjaksono Hadi
Head of Public Relations Bureau of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry
Paulina Laurensia
Communications Specialist
Email: pauline@orangutan.or.id
Nur Isnaini
Communications Coordinator
Email: isna@orangutan.or.id
Images and video documentation are available on this following Dropbox link.
The Press release is available on the following link:
After successfully releasing 3 rehabilitated orangutans last month, the BOS Foundation Orangutan Reintroduction Program at Samboja Lestari will release a further 2 rehabilitated orangutans into Kehje Sewen Forest in East Kalimantan.
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