Dr Fikri, our vet, gave us a lovely surprise when he reported about the birth of an orangutan in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, in March.

The mother orangutan, Tiffany, was observed at  Camp JL, an orangutan release camp run by the Orangutan Foundation.  Staff tried to determine the sex of the new born but Tiffany was very protective of her son and fled when approached by field staff.  On one occasion the staff managed to see that the sex of the baby is male.  Up to now both Tiffany and her new baby are healthy and well.

Enjoy the pics!

Please help us to keep these orangutans save by supporting our Habitat Protection Guard Post Appeal

The Orangutan Foundation team left the port town of Pangkalan Bun late morning and arrived at the village of Bayat four hours later. After some discussion with the villagers we saw the leopard cub which was being stored in a cardboard box and was silent and motionless.

 Dr Fikri, the Orangutan Foundation’s vet, examining the cub being held by villagers

Information obtained from the villagers was that leopard cub was found at night on the road leading to the iron ore mining site.  They saw the mother clouded leopard walking across the road carrying her cub in her mouth.  When the iron ore vehicles passed they must have startled the mother who dropped her cub and ran away.  It is thought that the vehicle hit the cub, though very lightly.  The iron ore mining vehicles were heading to the port of Pangkalan Bun.

The people of Bayat village had been looking after the cub for 2 days before we arrived.

Orangutan Foundation vet with the cub

Baby clouded leopard weak and silent

Cub not able to walk

The good news is that the cub is progressing well and is in pretty good health. Initially it was always unsteady when standing and its walking wasn’t normal.  It had problems with both hind legs. This pain seems to have now gone and its walking is normal and sometimes it even climbs the wall of its cage.

Cub alert and seems healthy

It is eating and drinking. Its current weight is ± 2 Kg. Looking at the husbandry manual on the Clouded Leopard Project website this suggests its age may be between 60 and 90 days old.  It is still very early days for the cub.  More news to follow soon…

Thank you

Orangutan Foundation

Please consider a donation to support our work by visiting our website or bid on a Gary Hodge’s print that is being auction in aid of the Foundation. Thank you!

This post comes from our Indonesian vet, Dr Fikri.

On 18^th April staff from the Indonesian Government’s Agency for the Conservation of Natural Resources (BKSDA SKW II) Pangkalan Bun office informed us that an infant orangutan (± 1 year) was at their Sampit office.

Dr Fikri and the rescue team drove the 5 hours to Sampit, along the dusty and pothole-ridden road.  After arriving at the Sampit office the team were shown the orangutan which was being kept in a holding cage. When approached, the orangutan was anxious and frightened and frequently “kiss squeaked” (the sound orangutans make when they are distressed).

Photo 1. Orangutan in The Office BKSDA Sampit Area

Photo 2. Cage being lifted into Orangutan Foundation pick-up truck for the long jorney back to Pangkalan Bun.

The BKSDA staff said the orangutan was female and came from the community.  It was found in a public-owned rubber plantation near Patai village of Cempaga Hulu District, East Kotawaringin.  Bordering the rubber plantation was an oil palm plantation, PT. Tunas Agro Subur Kencana III.

Orangutan at the Office of BKSDA Pangkalan Bun

Dr Fikri examined the orangutan once back at the BKSDA office in Pangkalan Bun. After observing the orangutan we estimated her to be ± 3-5 years old, she was healthy and definitely still very wild!

 Examination by Dr Fikri finds her to be in good health.

On 23 April, the orangutan was taken from the BKSDA office to Camp Siswoyo in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.

Journey to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve. First by truck and then by boat (below).

Arriving at Camp Siswoyo in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve

Transfer to holding cage

The orangutan will be observed and gradually released into the forest. We hope because she is still very wild at heart that she will have no problems coping by herself in the wild. We hope to bring you more news soon.

Please support our Habitat Protection appeal to keep these orangutans safe.

This post has been written by Wawan, our Finance Manager from our Indonesian office in Pangkalan Bun,  Central Kalimantan Borneo about his visit to Pondok Ambung.

Experiencing Beautiful ‘Shama’

Its  such interesting experience when you go through the deep of Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan. You can enjoy an unforgetable long river journey to reach Pondok Ambung Research station, about 30 minutes down river from Camp Leakey.

I went to Pondok Ambung Research Station by Orangutan Foundation’s Speed boat as routine duty delivering fresh logistic from Kumai market on 15 April. Staying one night just sensing to be closer to the wildlife habitat there. Butterflies, birds, squirrel, and even little dragonfly can be found easily.

One bird was my interest, I see beautiful bird having long-black tailed and white rump, orange bellied, black head and black eyes as well. Its body size maybe only same as a little coffee cup but looking a bit thin because of its long tailed and neck. It kept jumping between branches, and some times stepping to the ground. Once it jump and step on the ground getting little worm by its beak, and suddenly swallow it.  After swallow the worm, it flew to perch on little branches and singing! Such beautiful long time duration sing.

Moments were capture by my camera, I though that I got some good pictures, not bad at all before it vanish away. Unforgetable and beautiful bird, I know the name is White-rump Shama (Copsychus malabaricus) from book literature, it residence mainly eating worms but occasionally ants and other insect, very clever often immitating other bird calls. Its threated by illegal hunting for their rich chuckling songs, people using this bird for Bird singing competition, now we see it free from threaths because they living in protected area Tanjung Puting National Park.

I think this is just a little story that representing my experience to be closer to wildlife especially birds.  I hope any of you like it. Thank you  Orangutan Foundation UK and Tanjung puting National park and also thanks for Arif Nugroho the manager of Pondok Ambung Research Station.

I hope You will get more interest from this little experience, thanks.

Wawan  (Bambang Setyawan)

OF-UK Finance Manager

Want to visit Tanjung Puting National Park? Visit our www.orangutan.org.uk

Watch this short clip of a baby tomistoma crocodile, also known as the false gharial. It was taken at Pondok Ambung Tropical Forest Research Station, Tanjung Puting National Park, Indonesian Borneo by Wawan, the Orangutan Foundation’s Finance Office, who was on a logistic run to the field site.  This species of fresh water crocodile is listed as endangered on the IUCN Redlist.

Thanks,

Orangutan Foundation

Universities interested in study at Pondok Ambung please contact Orangutan Foundation

Auction of “Chimpanzee” – a Unique Gary Hodges signed limited edition print co-signed by actress Rula Lenska in aid of the Orangutan Foundation.

Fantastic opportunity to own “Chimpanzee” – a highly collectable print from a drawing. Printed on superb Fabriano 5 art paper, signed by world famous artist Gary Hodges (www.garyhodges-wildlife-art.com) and limited to 850 copies, it was published in 1990 and completely sold out many years ago.

“Chimpanzee” has sold many times on the secondary market for very high prices. This print has been made unique and all the more valuable with the addition of the signature of actress Rula Lenska.

Place your bids here.  Auction ends 15.00, 12th April 2012.

Aceh Judge slammed over Indonesian court’s inability to make a just ruling over simple legal case.

Read full press release here and sign an online petition to enforce the law protecting Tripa Peat Swamp and its orangutan populations.

Please support this important action.

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

Our Vet. Dr Fikri, sent through this post about an orangutan that was rescued by BKSDA SKW II (Natural Resource Agency) from the town of Sampit, Central Kalimantan. The orangutan was a male and is thought to be ± 5 years old. In respect to and in memory of the late Pak Anton, who died tragically in a speedboat accident , we decided to name the rescued orangutan Anton.

Rescued orangutan Anton in his enclosure at the Reserve

In the morning, the orangutan Anton was taken to the safety of the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve (Central Kalimantan, Borneo) by boat. Anton arrived at Camp JL was given rambutan fruit (a favourite), bananas and milk.  Once inside his temporary enclosure Anton was still visibly stressed – running and climbing about all over his cage. He didn’t take the fruit or milk.  By the afternoon, Anton had calmed down and he had drank the milk and eaten all the fruit.  Anton will be monitored carefully to see how he adapts to his new environment.

We would like to thank our partners Care For The Wild International for their support of our work in Lamandau.  Please consider supporting our work by making a donation or adopting an orangutan.

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

Tree where the wild orangutan fled to and climbed up

This post illustrates the important work of the Indonesian Government’s Agency for the Conservation of Natural Resources and the Orangutan Foundation but it highlights the chronic problem that Indonesia is facing:  increasing numbers of wild orangutans that are being encountered and needing rescue as their habitat continues to be destroyed and fragmented.  

One quick and simple way to support our work, that won’t cost you anything, is to vote for us in the Animal Friends Pet Insurance Facebook Challenge – if Orangutan Foundation gets the most votes we will win £5,000. We urgently need these funds to support our work in Indonesian Borneo.

Rescue team trying to capture the orangutan - Orangutan Foundation

Last month, after coordination with BKSDA SKW II we visited the village of Natai Raya, close to the Port of Kumai. We had heard there was an isolated female orangutan that was eating fruit from the villager’s backyards. Capturing and moving wild orangutans is always a last resort as it is risky for both the apes and humans and it is also very expensive. However, it was clear that in this case the orangutan needed to be removed from the village. There was a small swampy area with a few small trees but no fruit trees and on the other side of the swamp was an oil palm plantation.  

Wild female orangutan high in tree -Orangutan Foundation

The next day the rescue team made up from BKSDA SKW II staff and the Orangutan Foundation vet Dr Fikri, Uduk (Assistant Orangutan Release Manager) and Pak Tigor headed to the village to capture and trans-locate the orangutan. After 7 failed attempts to catch the orangutan she fled into the swamp and climbed a tree.

Wild female Bornean orangutan - Orangutan Foundation

The team decided to leave the village and return a few days later with more Orangutan Foundation staff to help. Finally, after a co-ordinated effort by all, the orangutan was isolated in one tree and was darted and safely rescued.

Orangutan being weighed - Orangutan Foundation

Veterinary checks on darted wild orangutan - Orangutan Foundation

OF Vet Team attending darted wild orangutan - Orangutan Foundation

DrFikri immediately performed the necessary health checks and the orangutan was taken to the BKSDA SKW II office in Pangkalan Bun.

Orangutan Foundation vet, Dr Fikri with darted orangutan -Orangutan Foundation

Darted orangutan being taken away from the village - Orangutan Foundation

Orangutan being taken to BKSDA office in Pangkalan Bun - Orangutan Foundation

The next day the orangutan was transported by klotok (longboat) to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.

Orangutan, awake and alert, being transported to the wildlife reserve - Orangutan Foundation

Heading into the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve - Orangutan Foundation

Arriving at Camp Mangkung, site for the release of translocated orangutans - Orangutan Foundation

Wild orangutan being taken to a safe release site - Orangutan Foundation

She was released at Camp Mangkung, a site established specifically for trans-located orangutans. 

Time to go back to the wild -Orangutan Foundation

Orangutan Foundation staff followed the orangutan for 14 days to ensure she was fit and well ans that there were no problems arising because of the trans-location.

There's a released wild orangutan in there somewhere! Orangutan Foundation

Mission accomplished.... all photos by Orangutan Foundation

Thank you to BKSDA SKW II and to Colchester Zoo Action for the Wild for the support of our Veterinary Programme and for funding the blow pipes and darts.

 Please consider a donation to support our vital work.

 Thank you,

 Orangutan Foundation