A New Hope for Semeru’s Brighter Future

On September 2012, a story about a young orangutan who was handed over by the citizens of Palangka Raya to the BOS Foundation through the Conservation and Natural Resources Authority (BKSDA) was widely reported in both national and local Kalimantan media.

The story made headlines when Yuli, an orangutan who had been kept by a local in Semeru street in Palangka Raya was confiscated. According to the reports, Yuli was found all by herself by the road of trans Kalimantan, probably escaping the significant forest fires in Pulang Pisau regency. She was believed to be separated from her mother, but that was all we could find out about her origin.

During the initial check by the BOS Foundation team, we found that even though Yuli appeared healthy, she was living her life in a cage next to a busy street in a residential area.  Eachday, Yuli had to live as an object of amusement for many passersby.

She would put her face in between the metal bars and look with her sad eyes outside, her face was saying she was longing to be free.

Information about Yuli from the community and the results of initial field checks were then reported to the management by Nyaru Menteng Program Manager Anton Nurcahyo and Communications and Education Coordinator Monterado Friedman.

While Nyaru Menteng Office Coordinator May Sumarnae was sent to coordinate with related parties to safely relocate Yuli to Nyaru Menteng.

After a long coordination process and explanation to Yuli’s keeper regarding the laws protecting wildlife, finally on the morning of Wednesday, September 26, Yuli was relocated to Nyaru Menteng to undergo rehabilitation and eventually, to be released back into the forest, her true home.

Once she arrived at Nyaru Menteng, Yuli had to undergo health checks and the standard quarantine period. The health check results showed that Yuli was physically healthy. However, she needed some time to adapt to her new environment and to alleviate the stress and trauma she had suffered from living in a cage exposed to the public.  We also gave her a new name, Semeru, to easily identify her and to mark the new starting point in her life.

“I learned how to climb up high on a tree in Nyaru Menteng!”

During the quarantine period, Semeru was familiarised with the rehabilitation center. Every morning she went to the playground with her babysitter.  She learned how to climb low trees, and soon she started climbing up higher trees. She even climbed to the top of the jackfruit tree in quarantine complex!

In December when she passed the quarantine period, Semeru joined other young orangutans in forest school.

“I had so much fun on my first day in the forest school!”

Semeru enrolled in group 1 and 2 of the forest school, along with younger orangutans. She has adapted pretty well in her group. Like any other students, her knowledge development and activities will be observed. Hanny, the babysitter coordinator, anticipates that in the next month or so Semeru will pass her current level and advance to group 3 and 4. Considering her ability to adapt and learn quickly, we are confident Semeru will be able to be released back into her natural habitat in the forest of Central Kalimantan.