EARTH DAY 2024: PLANET VS PLASTICS
Every year on April 22, we celebrate Earth Day to honour the planet that is home to us all.
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 44th orangutan release from the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre into the Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park (TNBBBR). Here are the orangutan candidates up for release:
HAPPY
Happy is a male orangutan rescued from Parenggean Village, East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan, on July 24, 2010. When we rescued him, he was just 1.5 years old, weighed 4 kg, and had no mother.
After quarantine, Happy started his rehabilitation journey in forest school and then moved on to the Salat Pre-release Island on May 17, 2022. Happy is an explorer with excellent foraging skills, but his behaviour can be unpredictable and he is easily annoyed by the presence of new individuals.
Happy is currently 16 years old and is ready to explore the true wildness of TNBBBR.
JENGYOS
On September 19, 2016, a team from the BOS Foundation and the Central Kalimantan BKSDA rescued Jengyos from Petak Bahandang Village in Katingan Regency, Central Kalimantan. This female orangutan was one year old and weighed just 2.6 kg.
Jengyos went to forest school where she learned survival skills that she had to put to the test later on the Salat Pre-release Island. She started this final stage of her rehabilitation on May 17, 2022, and while living on the island, Jengyos came to be known for her independence and love of exploration.
Jengyos is currently 9 years old. This adorable girl will soon be exploring her new home in TNBBBR.
RUNTU
Runtu, a female orangutan, was repatriated from Thailand on November 22, 2006, alongside 47 other orangutans. At the time, Runtu was 5.5 years old and weighed 19 kg.
After quarantine, Runtu went to forest school and, on January 29, 2020, she had the opportunity to participate in the pre-release stage of rehabilitation on the Salat Pre-release Island. Runtu is a very curious orangutan, exhibited by her frequent explorations of the island as she searched for natural foods.
Runtu is currently 23 years old and soon she will be free to roam as a wild orangutan in the forests of TNBBBR.
BEJO
Bejo is a male orangutan who was rescued not far from the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre when he was just 1.5 years old. When he was rescued on October 1, 2009, he was without a mother and weighed 3.7 kg.
After completing the quarantine period, he enrolled in forest school and completed all stages successfully. On November 7, 2019, he was sent to the Salat Pre-Release Island, where he would prove his skills before being released. Bejo is an orangutan who avoids competition by steering clear of individuals he does not know and getting along with those with whom he is already familiar.
Bejo is currently 17 years old and, after completing all stages of rehabilitation, he is now ready to embark on his adventure in the wilderness of TNBBBR.
MERYL
Meryl is a female orangutan who was rescued from Tumbang Jiga Village in Katingan Regency, Central Kalimantan Province, on January 8, 2015. When rescued, she was 8 months old and weighed 2.7 kg.
She followed the usual rehabilitation path, completing quarantine after arrival, moving on to forest school to learn skills, and, finally, moving to a pre-release island on November 10, 2021. Meryl is a compassionate orangutan who usually avoids humans, but gets along wonderfully with the other orangutans.
Meryl is currently ten years old and now she will be able to return to the forest as a wild orangutan.
BLEGI
Blegi is a male orangutan rescued from Buntok, South Barito Regency, Central Kalimantan on April 13, 2015. He was approximately three years old and weighed 7.1 kg when he was rescued.
After the quarantine period, Blegi attended forest school with his pals and graduated successfully. On December 6, 2021, he resumed the pre-release process on Kaja Island. Blegi is highly curious and sociable. He enjoys exploring and is good at obtaining natural food.
Blegi is currently twelve years old and he is now ready to return to the wild and become a truly free orangutan.
Every year on April 22, we celebrate Earth Day to honour the planet that is home to us all.
It was a usual day at the Nyaru Menteng forest school, where young orangutans were learning from one another while their human surrogate mothers looked on from below.
Our Post-Release Monitoring (PRM) team at Camp Himba Pambelum in Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park (TNBBBR), Central Kalimantan, encountered Suci, a young female orangutan, three times back in 2023.
