ISLAND REPAIRS IN SAMBOJA LESTARI

The orangutan rehabilitation process requires the use of forested manmade islands to help orangutans further develop and hone survival skills. The islands in the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre were previously damaged, compromising the containment, and substantial repairs were necessary for them to be functional once again.

To help rescued orangutans complete the rehabilitation process, the BOS Foundation utilises forested manmade islands. Some of these artificial islands are used to accommodate rehabilitated orangutans who have completed Forest School, while others are used as permanent sanctuary for the adult orangutans who are unfit for release. 

In Samboja Lestari, the BOS Foundation has built 18 manmade islands, which together total 21 hectares in area. But unfortunately, some of these islands had sustained heavy damages due to floods during the rainy seasons in 2020 and 2021. This situation forced the management of the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre to move orangutans from the islands to cage complexes for an undetermined period of time. 

In August of 2023, the BOS Foundation began the work of repairing our manmade islands in Samboja Lestari. The first phase was the repair of 1-ha Island #6, which had previously housed 34-year-old Bujang and the 30-year-old female Anih. They both had to be removed from the island several years earlier due to the extensive flood damage. 

The repairs for Island #6 were primarily carried out by the Samboja Lestari staff, with the help of a few external experts. The work included digging out the bottom of the canal surrounding the island which was too shallow due to sedimentation, compacting the canal banks to prevent future collapse, and reinforcing the spillway. The project ran for five working days from August 7-11, 2023.