The Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre has welcomed a new resident. Last July, a female orangutan infant was successfully rescued by the Tenggarong Region II Conservation Section (SKW II) team of the East Kalimantan BKSDA.

Condition at the Time of Rescue

The rescue operation began with a phone report received by the East Kutai Resort regarding the planned handover of a wild orangutan in Kongbeng Subdistrict, East Kutai Regency. Acting on the report, the Wildlife Rescue Unit (WRU) of SKW II Tenggarong, together with representatives from the Restorasi Habitat Orangutan Indonesia (RHOI) Program, our veterinarian Rifdah Inayah Askin and Sunarji immediately set off for the location.

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Upon arriving in Miau Baru Village, the team met Wenerson, the homeowner and local resident who had been keeping the orangutan infant. He intended to surrender the orangutan, which he had found in his plantation about six months earlier. During that time, the orangutan had been kept in a cat cage measuring about 30 x 50 cm, lined with cloth, and was fed condensed milk using a baby bottle.

A medical check by our veterinarian revealed that the orangutan infant, later named Kayla, was around 12 months old. She was relatively healthy, weighing 3.8 kg with a body temperature of 37°C. After the examination, the team transported her to the RHOI basecamp in Muara Wahau for temporary care.

The Long Journey to Samboja Lestari Rehabilitation Centre

The next day after the rescue, the WRU SKW II Tenggarong team, together with the RHOI team, brought Kayla to the Samboja Lestari Rehabilitation Centre. The land journey took about 12 hours. During the trip, Kayla was carried directly by our veterinarian. She remained calm, did not fuss, and even drank nearly half a bottle of milk from the feeder.

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Upon arrival at Samboja Lestari, Kayla was first taken to the orangutan clinic and examined by our veterinarian, Maulidi Robingi Mardiyani Wukirani. Once her condition was confirmed, she was moved to the Baby Nursery and welcomed by our surrogate mothers, Irma Ananda and Sri Ramadhanty. There, Kayla began to interact with other infants. She immediately met Indri, another orangutan infant, although she could not yet meet Esa, who at the time was suffering from a fever.

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Now, Kayla is adapting well during her quarantine period at the Baby Nursery. Although she once experienced a fever, fortunately her condition gradually improved. By the end of this month, she will have completed three full months of quarantine. With intensive care and a supportive environment, there is great hope that this orangutan infant will soon adapt, learn, and socialize with her peers. A long journey awaits her until the day she is ready to return to the forest her true home.