MOZA’S JOURNEY FROM KUWAIT TO MOTHERHOOD ON KAJA ISLAND
On September 13, 2015, a two-year-old female orangutan began a long journey back to Indonesia. The young orangutan was later named Moza.
Forest Fires and the Impact on our Orangutan Rehabilitation Programs
Forest fires occur regularly every year in Central and East Kalimantan, which significantly impacts both our orangutans and staff and the overall BOS Foundation activities. In Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, the smoke is getting thicker by the day as a result of forest and peatland areas being burned in the middle of a prolonged dry season.
This is clearly detrimental to both human and orangutan health, which in particular effects and triggers respiratory diseases leading to infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia due to degeneration of the body’s immune system.
The Latest Update from Forest School
The current situation at Nyaru Menteng is that visibility has been dractically reduced to less than 50 meters in the mornings and late afternoons. Sometimes visibility gradually increases to 100 meters by noon. This is obviously affecting our daily activities at Nyaru Menteng. The orangutan babies are the worst affected by this situation as they are still so young and their immune systems are too immature to fight these extreme environmental conditions. Six of our 13 orangutan babies are receiving treatment from our veterinarians for acute respiratory infections and eye infections. Judging from the deteriorating situation, it looks likely that more medical cases will undoubtedly arise.
Heavy smoke has forced us to limit the activities within Forest School, and adjust the schedule to fewer hours per day. We may have to reduce further later this week with only a few of the really healthy orangutans able to go to school.
All the orangutan babies are currently limited to playing indoors which is not optimum, but the safest option we currently can provide.
There is not much we can do. The only possible precautionary measures the medical team can take are close observations and supplements to enhance the orangutans immune systems.
Update on Haze at Nyaru Menteng Reintroduction Center (Photo credit: Indrayana)
Update on Haze at Nyaru Menteng Reintroduction Center (Photo credit: Indrayana)
Update on Haze at Nyaru Menteng Reintroduction Center (Photo credit: Indrayana)
Update on Haze at Nyaru Menteng Reintroduction Center (Photo credit: Indrayana)
Update on Haze at Nyaru Menteng Reintroduction Center (Photo credit: Indrayana)
In response to growing fire risks, the team in Nyaru Menteng is patrolling and has drilled several wells around the Forest School to facilitate rapid response should fire outbreaks occur.
Conditions on the Pre-Release Islands
Conditions for the orangutans on BOS Foundation pre-release islands are no better than the ones in Forest School. The Rungan river separating the islands from the mainland has almost completely dried up due to the long drought. Our Technican team at Nyaru Menteng responsible for patrolling the islands must walk for 6 hours each day to complete two feeding trips in order to provide the necessary supplementary food for orangutans inhabiting the islands. Plus they still have to ensure that the orangutans stay on the island and do not roam across the drying river to nearby villages.
We can only hope that the local government with the help of fire fighting teams will soon be able to overcome the catastrophic haze condition in forest fire-hampered areas. However, without self-awareness plans to stop the practice of forest burning, this grim condition will continue to take place and gradually impair all the lives in the region.
On September 13, 2015, a two-year-old female orangutan began a long journey back to Indonesia. The young orangutan was later named Moza.
In the Tuanan Research Station, wild male orangutans move through the canopy with remarkable strength and grace. Among them is Dayak: a majestic flanged male whose broad cheek pads signal maturity, dominance, and excellent health.
Roy, a young male orangutan estimated to be around two years old, is now undergoing rehabilitation at the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Central Kalimantan.
