Having successfully commenced the reintroductions of orangutans into Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest, the orangutan rehabilitation process in Nyaru Menteng is now progressing in leaps and bounds. As such we have recently been able to move more orangutans to our pre-release islands so they can complete their final pre-release rehabilitation phase.
There are four major phases to our orangutan rehabilitation program: Quarantine, Socialisation, Pre-release, and Release. During the pre-release phase, the orangutans are placed on a pre-release island, a transit forest where the Forest School graduates undergo the last stage of rehabilitation process. On the island, the orangutans will live more independently to prepare them to be true wild orangutans living in the real forest.
Pre-release Island as a "University"
Kaja, Bangamat, Palas, and Hampapak are pre-release islands run by the BOS Foundation in Nyaru Menteng. These small islands are situated within the Rungan River close to Sei Gohong village, Palangka Raya. Just like a university, on the island the orangutans will receive the final stage of learning in order to live independently.
They will live just like their wild counterparts in the forest. They no longer need to go back to their enclosures as the night draws in, instead they can build nests and stay in the trees. At this stage, the interaction with humans is significantly decreased. The technicians will give food supplements twice a day, instead of 5 times as in the Forest School. Orangutans will have to forage and choose their own natural foods.
This is why forest survival skills are one of the most important criteria to determine whether an orangutan is eligible to live on a pre-release island. Apart from these life saving skills, other criteria including health, social interactions, and general behaviour are also monitored and assessed.
Pre-release island, a transit forest by Indrayana
On the island the orangutans will receive the final stage of learning in order to live independently by Indrayana
Nyaru Menteng moved orangutans to one of our other pre-release islands by Indrayana
Anton Nurcahyo released Anton and his mother Holly by Indrayana
Adult female orangutans receive birth control implants by Indrayana
31 Orangutans Moved to Kaja Island
After moving 26 orangutans to Bangamat Island by the end of December 2012, Nyaru Menteng moved another 31 orangutans to one of our other pre-release islands, Kaja. These relocations were completed gradually.
The first relocation started on Thursday (20/6), with 17 orangutans consisting of 13 females and 4 young male orangutans. These are 6 pairs of mother and young: Jambi-Jamartin, Nora-Ara, Dewi-Debora, Susi-Akhates, Holly-Anton, and Meklies-Mekhlies, and 5 females Mentos, Koko, Miri, Cetah, and Peggi.
Accompanied by Vet Agus Fahroni and Vet Riani, the first stage of their relocation was attended by Lone D. Nielsen (BOSF Senior Advisor) and Anton Nurcahyo (Nyaru Menteng Program Manager). Anton Nurcahyo released a young male orangutan (who was also named Anton!) and his mother Holly. While Lone D. Nielsen released a mother orangutan Jambi and her son Jamartin.
The second stage of the relocation was completed on Monday (24/6) with 10 female orangutans. These were Olive, Mocacino, Wanna, Compost, Rina, Cameron, Beda, Merry, Mini, and Nata. Wanna is one of the 48 orangutans confiscated by the Indonesian Government from Thailand in 2006. Four male orangutans Juki, Kisar, Sabun and Hercules followed later in the next stage.
The plan is for Nyaru Menteng to move 51 orangutans to Kaja Island. The remaining 20 orangutans will be moved soon after their health checks are completed. Adult female orangutans also receive birth control implants to ensure they can concentrate on finalizing and improving their forest skills before being reintroduced to the natural forest. To have a new baby to care for while still working on ensuring they can fend for themselves in the wild may jeopardise the safety of mother and the baby.
Of the 51 orangutans to be placed on pre-release island, some are those from the adoption program. Beda was already moved to the island on stage 1, while Carmen, Carlos, Buland and Elisa will follow Beda soon. This wonderful development can only happen thanks to you, our adopters!
Hope and Challenge
Each eligible orangutan passing through Nyaru Menteng, will at some point, live on a pre-release island to ensure they are as prepared as possible to be considered as a future release candidate. At the moment the islands have reached their maximum capacity and the orangutans at Nyaru Menteng are waiting for their turn to develop their final skills on a pre-release island. While those orangutans still on the islands, are waiting for their time to be released into the wild.
Finding suitable forests to release orangutans into is a challenge. We are currently in the process of searching for another release site in Central Kalimantan to ensure that once Bukit Batikap has reached carrying capacity, we can continue our orangutan reintroductions without delay.
The BOS Foundation, together with the KLHK and the BKSDA of Central Kalimantan will soon conduct the 44th orangutan release from the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre to the Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park (TNBBBR).
Every year on April 22, we celebrate Earth Day to honour the planet that is home to us all.
It was a usual day at the Nyaru Menteng forest school, where young orangutans were learning from one another while their human surrogate mothers looked on from below.
