Not all delays end in regret. For a female orangutan named Cici, what once seemed like a setback turned out to be the beginning of her long road to true freedom.

Cici made history as the first orangutan ever relocated from East Kalimantan to Central Kalimantan and successfully released into the Bukit Batikap Protected Forest. During her years of rehabilitation at the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Center, Cici was known for her strong and often aggressive personality. One that kept her caretakers on alert whenever they worked with her.

Yet behind her fierce demeanor lay an incredible will to survive, an instinct that would later help her thrive in the wild.

When Freedom Finally Arrived

When the release cage door opened for the first time, Cici didn’t hesitate. She immediately climbed a nearby tree, disappearing into the forest canopy. But just ten minutes later, she suddenly became alert, her fur bristling as she charged toward the Post-Release Monitoring (PRM) team observing her from a distance.

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That first day of post-release observation was intense and challenging. However, such behavior is not uncommon. Many orangutans experience stress after long transport journeys, which can trigger defensive or aggressive reactions. Fortunately, our experienced field team managed to stay safe, patiently waiting until Cici calmed down and began adjusting to her new environment.

In her first days of freedom, Cici ate very little. Observations showed that only about 17% of her activities involved feeding, while the rest of her time was spent resting and regaining energy after her long and tiring journey to Bukit Batikap.

A Story from the Past

Cici’s path to freedom began over a decade ago. In 2013, she was nearly released with twelve other orangutans into Kehje Sewen Forest, East Kalimantan. But just before her departure, a routine health check and DNA test revealed something unexpected: Cici was not an East Kalimantan orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio), but a Central Kalimantan orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii).

This crucial finding led the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation to make a difficult but responsible decision: to postpone Cici’s release. In accordance with both national and international standards set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the team ensured that Cici would only be released into her correct natural habitat.

It was a delay made in the name of integrity, one that would later prove to be worthwhile.

A Calmer Cici in the Wild

After ten years of rehabilitation at Nyaru Menteng, Cici finally earned her second chance at freedom. Alongside seven other orangutans, she was released into the Bukit Batikap Protected Forest, a home perfectly suited to her subspecies.

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Two years later, the PRM team encountered Cici again, around 150 meters from the Joloi River. This time, she appeared calm and confident. She spent most of her time exploring the forest floor, showing no signs of the anxious aggression she once displayed. Cici had truly settled into her new life in the wild.

A Delay That Was Not in Vain

This reunion proved that Cici has successfully adapted to her forest home and is thriving in her newfound freedom. Her story is a living testament that patience and the right decisions lead to lasting results.

Cici reminds us that delays are not always failures. Sometimes, they are nature’s way of giving us, just as it did for Cici—the perfect time to find where we truly belong.