To look after the orangutans and sun bears at the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, the BOS Foundation veterinary team needs a workspace that is both safe, functional, and meets international welfare standards. Due to generous donor and partner support, the BOS Foundation finally had the funding to improve the functionality of our Animal Clinic in Samboja Lestari.
Looking after more than 100 orangutans and 70 sun bears is no small undertaking. The veterinary team at Samboja Lestari must always be ready to handle the varied, and sometimes serious, medical needs of our animal residents. Every day, four veterinarians at Samboja Lestari work hard to provide health services for animals in need.
In addition to our veterinary team providing medicine and vitamins to the orangutans in the enclosures, they also perform the occasional surgery or procedure at the clinic. This requires the availability of adequate space and equipment and, in 2023, the BOS Foundation finally received assistance from BOS Switzerland, BOS Australia, and other partners as well as a number of donors such as ORICA, to expand and increase the clinic's capacity to maintain the health and welfare of animals under rehabilitation at Samboja Lestari.
Samboja Lestari Clinic Before Enlargement (Photo credit: BOSF 2024)
Samboja Lestari Clinic After Enlargement (Photo credit: BOSF 2024)
Samboja Lestari Clinic Enlargement (Photo credit: BOSF 2024)
Samboja Lestari Clinic Enlargement (Photo credit: BOSF 2024)
Samboja Lestari Clinic Enlargement (Photo credit: BOSF 2024)
The SL Clinic building was originally a one-story building with an area of 11.2 x 16 meters2. This project converted it into a two-story building with an area of 18.2 x 16.1 m2. Another reason for an extensive repair was that the building had structural damage and had been infested with mold.
Not only did we increase the size of the old rooms, but we also installed new, helpful features. Now, our veterinary team can plan on the large terraced function room on the second floor or observe surgical procedures from a specially designed room, a feature common in many zoos.
BOS Foundation hopes that by increasing the functionality of the clinic, our veterinary team in Samboja Lestari can better care for the animals and share their experiences and knowledge with other professionals and institutions. This is all in an effort to contribute to the welfare and conservation of Bornean orangutans across the world.
To complement the BOS Foundations wildlife conservation activities at Samboja Lestari, a new solar system now produces clean solar energy that will power the centre for years to come as well as contribute to the global shift towards renewable energy.
The BOS Foundation has decided to move the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Central Kalimantan, to a new location that better serves the above requirements.
In collaboration with the Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB University) and the University of British Columbia, a camera trap project aims to answer questions about the distribution of orangutans after being released in the Bukit Batikap Protection Fores
