MARKING EARTH DAY, 12 ORANGUTANS RELEASE TO BATIKAP

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, and to mark International Earth Day(which falls annually on 22 April), the BOS Foundation recently released 12 orangutans from the Central Kalimantan Orangutan Reintroduction Program in Nyaru Menteng to the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.

Two groups comprised our 12th release from Nyaru Menteng. The first group, which consisted of eight orangutans – Gina, Zakia, Sule, Kevin, Ella, Lomon, Olivia and Belli –, departed on April 11 and the second group, which included Sofi, Suta, Olbert and Nobri, left on April 20. Our Nyaru Menteng medical team sedated the release candidates at the Quarantine Complex prior to their departure.

After sedation, the orangutans were soon en route to the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest. Both departure groups travelled the same route via land and river, with the teams making stops every two hours to check on the orangutans.

In the first departure group, Lomon, Belli, Ella and Olivia recovered from their journey in an area managed by PT. Bumi Barito Mineral (Cokal Ltd), and then continued with a 2-hour trip to Camp B in 4×4 vehicles. From Camp B, the team travelled in klotoks (small motor boats) for eight hours to Totat Jalu PRM camp in Batikap.

Gina, Zakia, Sule and Kevin finally gained their freedom in the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest on April 18.

Lomon, the star of the BBC’s Orangutan Diary documentary series, became the 200th orangutan released from Nyaru Menteng.

Back in April 2006, Lomon arrived at the BOS Foundation in a very poor condition. He was released to the Batikap Conservation Forest on April 19, with Agus Fachroni, the accompanying vet present during Lomon’s rescue, given the honour of opening Lomon’s cage to release him back his true home in the forest.

Welcome to Batikap: Sofi, Suta, Nobri and Olbert!

The BOS Foundation’s CEO, Jamartin Sihite, headed up the second departure group. After the release team participated in a tampung tawar traditional procession on April 20 (in front of the Central Kalimantan BKSDA office), it was time for Sofi, Suta, Nobri, and Olbert to leave for the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.

The tampung tawar procession indicated the great level of support that local communities have provided with the release of rehabilitated orangutans back to the natural habitat of the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.

Sofi, Suta, Nobri and Olbert went straight to Bukit Batikap without taking a pit stop at Batu Ampar, and were finally released on April 22.

Since 2012, the BOS Foundation’s Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Program has released 155 orangutans to the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest. With these 12 released in April, the total number of orangutans released by the BOS Foundation to Batikap now stands at 167 individuals.

Gina, Zakia, Sule, Kevin, Ella, Lomon, Olivia, Belli, Sofi, Suta, Olbert and Nobri are now finally free and living deep in the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest as true, wild orangutans – as nature intended.

We wish them a healthy and peaceful life in their new home!