BOSF 35TH ANNIVERSARY: FOUR SAMBOJA LESTARI ORANGUTANS PREPARE FOR RELEASE INTO KEHJE SEWEN FOREST

To mark the 35th anniversary of the BOS Foundation, the East Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), in collaboration with the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS Foundation) and several other partners, is preparing to release four rehabilitated orangutans from the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre into Kehje Sewen Forest, located in East Kutai and Kutai Kartanegara Regencies, East Kalimantan. This release marks a new chapter for Catherine, Dennis, Ames, and Marlon as they prepare to return to life in their natural habitat.

This release is part of a long-term effort to return orangutans to their natural habitat after rehabilitation. Before being considered ready, each orangutan undergoes a learning process designed to develop essential survival skills in the forest, including identifying and finding natural food, building nests, adapting to the environment, and living independently.

Kehje Sewen Forest, managed by PT Restorasi Habitat Orangutan Indonesia (RHOI), is the release site for orangutans rehabilitated at Samboja Lestari. After travelling to the forest area, the orangutans will begin their new lives in their natural habitat. The team will conduct post-release monitoring to observe their adaptation and assess their progress after returning to the forest.

Each orangutan selected for release has a different background and rehabilitation journey. Catherine, Dennis, Ames, and Marlon represent the rescue, rehabilitation, and extensive preparation required to give orangutans the opportunity to live independently in the wild.

Of the four orangutans considered for release, three are males and one is female. Catherine, Dennis, and Ames are scheduled to be transported to Kehje Sewen Forest first. Marlon will follow once his health has improved and he has been deemed ready for release. This decision reflects the BOS Foundation’s commitment to prioritising the welfare and readiness of every orangutan at every stage of the release process.

Catherine is a female orangutan rescued by the East Kalimantan BKSDA office in Tenggarong from a local resident in Muara Badak, Kutai Kartanegara Regency. She arrived at Samboja Lestari on 29 June 2019, at approximately four years of age. Following rehabilitation, she has demonstrated very good nest-building skills and an excellent ability to identify natural food.

Dennis, a male orangutan, arrived at Samboja Lestari on 14 September 2018, at approximately two to three years of age. He was rescued by the Samarinda BKSDA office after being found by residents on a plantation in Bengalon without his mother. Dennis had been kept by a local resident for approximately three weeks before being handed over to the authorities. After undergoing rehabilitation, Dennis developed into an independent individual with very good skills in finding and identifying natural food.

Ames, another male orangutan, was rescued from a local resident in South Sangatta through a joint operation involving the Samboja Lestari team and Kutai National Park. According to the former keeper, Ames was found as an infant after a forest fire in 2015 and was subsequently kept by a local resident. He arrived at Samboja Lestari on 24 September 2016, at approximately one to two years of age. Through rehabilitation, Ames developed nest-building skills and the ability to identify natural food, both essential for his return to his natural habitat.

Marlon is a male orangutan born at Samboja Lestari on 13 November 2015 and raised by his mother, Merin. From an early age, Marlon grew up independently and tended to keep his distance from animal care technicians. He then undertook rehabilitation stages, from living with his mother on an island to learning at Forest School and on a pre-release island. Marlon has good nest-building skills and a very good ability to identify natural food. He is scheduled to join the release once his health has improved and he has been deemed ready to return to his natural habitat.

THE HEAD OF THE EAST KALIMANTAN NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION AGENCY (BKSDA), M. ARI WIBAWANTO, S.HUT., M.SC., said, “The release of orangutans is an important part of conservation efforts to return wildlife to its natural habitat. This process requires thorough preparation, from ensuring that each individual is ready to confirming that the release site can support life in the wild. This release also demonstrates the importance of cooperation among BKSDA, conservation organisations, area managers, and other stakeholders in protecting Bornean orangutans. We hope the released orangutans will adapt well and live naturally in Kehje Sewen Forest. These efforts must continue to be accompanied by habitat protection so that orangutans have the opportunity to survive and thrive in the wild.”

DR. IR. JAMARTIN SIHITE, M.SC., CHAIRMAN OF THE BOS FOUNDATION, added, “As the BOS Foundation enters its 35th year, each orangutan release reminds us that conservation is a long-term process that requires consistency, patience, and collaboration among many parties. Every orangutan has a different journey, and behind each individual returning to the forest are years of rescue, care, rehabilitation, and support. Catherine, Dennis, Ames, and Marlon have different stories, but they share the same goal: the opportunity to live again in their natural habitat. However, our work does not end when they leave the rehabilitation centre. We must also ensure that the forest they call home remains protected. After 35 years, our commitment remains unchanged: to rescue orangutans, return all releasable individuals from our rehabilitation centres to their habitat, protect forests, and work with all stakeholders to secure a better future for orangutans.”