Efforts to monitor orangutans in the wild have once again delivered heartening news. Our Post-Release Monitoring (PRM) Team recently encountered a female orangutan strongly believed to be Agis, a rehabilitated individual from the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS Foundation) who was released into Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park (TNBBBR) in 2018. Even more encouraging, Agis was observed carrying an infant orangutan estimated to be around 6–8 months old.

Encountered During a Radio Tracking Expedition

This encounter occurred while our PRM Team was conducting a Radio Tracking (RT) expedition to locate and check orangutan signals in the Sepan Suping area, within the Bemban Watershed. Initially, the team detected a signal from an orangutan named Kejora and immediately moved toward the location.

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However, upon arrival, the orangutan observed was not Kejora. Instead, the team encountered another individual whose transmitter signal could not be detected by radar. This orangutan was seen carrying an infant, and further checks confirmed that her transmitter was no longer active.

Identification Points to Agis

To confirm the individual’s identity, the team carried out a more detailed identification process based on facial features and physical characteristics. The observations strongly suggest that the orangutan was Agis, the female orangutan released into the TNBBBR area in early 2018. The infant she was carrying is believed to be her first offspring born in the wild. For ease of reference and documentation, the infant has been named Agus.

This finding is particularly exciting, as Agis had not been observed for quite some time. Her reappearance in good condition, especially while caring for an infant it serves as an important indicator of the success of the orangutan rehabilitation and release program.

Tracing Agis’s Long Journey

Agis was first rescued on 22 April 2006 by a joint rescue team from the Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA Central Kalimantan) and the BOS Foundation. At the time, she was being kept as a pet by a resident of Kuala Pembuang, Seruyan Regency, Central Kalimantan, where she had been cared for like a human child for approximately seven months.

When she arrived at the rehabilitation centre, Agis was only 2.5 years old, weighed 6.6 kilograms, and was suffering from dehydration and malnutrition. She underwent a quarantine period before joining Forest School, where she learned essential survival skills as a wild orangutan.

After graduating from Forest School, Agis continued to the pre-release stage on Bangamat Island in 2014, before being transferred to Kaja Island in 2015. Throughout this process, she was known as an adaptable individual who socialised well with other orangutans. She displayed a gentle temperament, yet was capable of defending herself when competing with others during rehabilitation.

A Living Proof of Rehabilitation Success

Now approximately 21 years old, Agis has been living independently in the forests of TNBBBR, equipped with the survival skills needed to thrive in the wild. Her reappearance during monitoring activities, together with the infant she is raising on her own, stands as tangible proof that rehabilitated orangutans can successfully adapt, reproduce, and embrace a second chance at life in their natural habitat.

Read also: HOW ORANGUTAN REHABILITATION STRENGTHENS CONSERVATION EFFORT

The encounter with Agis and Agus is not only a significant moment for our team, but also a powerful reminder that every long and challenging rehabilitation and release process brings real impact to the conservation of orangutans and the forests of Kalimantan. We hope that Agis and her offspring will continue to grow strong and healthy, becoming part of a new generation of orangutans in Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park.