Orangutan Foundation

Category: Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Lamdandau Vet, Orangutan Foundation Staff, Orangutans, Uncategorized | Date: Nov 02 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

Brian Diary, October 27^th 2009 by Hudi WD

I am pleased to tell you that the adoption process between the female Bornean orangutan, Rosa and the infant orangutan, Brian is going very well.

Brian was confiscated from an oil palm plantation and was taken to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve where he was introduced to adult female orangutan Rosa (see post A Wild Life). Rosa immediately took to Brian, but Brian was a little bit nervous with the whole process.

Now Brian is looking healthy, really cool and smart! He is very active to move and play inside the adoption cage (Rosa and Brian are in cage just temporarily to help the adoption process).

Some times Brian is swinging in the cage and sometimes he reaches to Rosa if he needs attention from her.

Tigor (the Lamandau Orangutan Reintroduction Manager) said Brian has the real “wild instinct” and he will grow to be a leader. Brian has started to become closer to Rosa and this was shown when Utang (staff from Camp Siswoyo) tried to hold Rosa’s hand, Brian moved and tried to pull Rosa’s hand away. 

He has also started to imitate Rosa’s behaviour. He is very smart and really funny when he moved and copied just like Rosa did.

Dr Fiqri (the Lamandau Orangutan Reintroduction Vet) said the adoption process was in good progress and in approximately 10 to 15 days he hopes Rosa and Brian will be returned to Camp Gemini and living free out of the cage, we hope it will be done as soon as possible.

Thank you,

Hudi WD

Programme Co-ordinator -Orangutan Foundation

Tags: Borneo, forests, Orangutans, vet, Wildlife

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Category: Orangutan Foundation Staff, Tanjung Puting National Park (TPNP) | Date: Oct 28 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

During the Steppes Discovery study tours (August and September 2009), Ashley Leiman, the Orangutan Foundation Director, played a joke with the “strange fruit” of Tanjung Puting (Indonesian Borneo) forest!The outside of the fruit looks very strong and hard. Ashley asked “who can break it with just your thumb?” The study tour participants tried to push their thumb into the fruit with all their power and then…Puffff….the fruit suddenly explodes over them.Exploding fruit - a study tour participant falls for the trick as the inside of the fruit explodes over his face! Photo by Orangutan Foundation.Greetings and huge thanks to all of the study tour participants from Orangutan Foundation Pangkalan Bun office, your support and donations are very helpful for orangutan and its habitat conservation and also for the local community.Regards,Hudi WD(Orangutan Foundation Programme Co-ordinator)

Tags: Borneo, trips, visits, Wildlife

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Category: Forest Fires, Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Orangutan Foundation Staff, Orangutans | Date: Sep 10 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, where our main programmes are based still remains extremely dry and fires pose a real threat to key orangutan populations. What this posts shows, is that if we have the resources to fight these fires they can be put out and controlled.

June sent through this news today…

‘There are fires in Tanjung Puting National Park and Orangutan Foundation are assiting the National Park authorities with logistical and transportation costs. Thankfully the fires that we were battling in Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve have been sucessfully put out. But it’s raining ash right now here in Pangkalan Bun, I kid you not. Haze is very bad.’

Professor Jack Rieley, a world expert on tropical peatlands from Nottingham University, also sent through this information he received from the field about the fires in Sebangau Forests.

Palangkaraya’s airport is closed and all the hospitals are full. Schools are closed and the fires and the smoke are getting worst. Fortunately Dr Suwido Limin, of CIMTROP, reported this morning that the research area in Sebangau is safe from fire, as Suwido’s team have been sucessful in their operations to protect from fire. They are working still to install water pumps in another three locations.

Tags: Borneo, Fires, Indonesia, Orangutans

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Category: Forest Fires, Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Orangutan Foundation Staff, Orangutans | Date: Sep 01 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

This is what June (Orangutan Foundation Programmes Manager) reported yesterday.

The fires are about four hours from Camp Buluh, an orangutan release camp in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve and they are about 10 hectares wide. Currently there are 12 “Manggala Agni” (Forest Fire Prevention Brigade) fighting the fires since they were reported on Thursday night. There are also three teams assisting from our EC-Lamandau Programme and Pak Jakir, Patrol Manager has also been with them since Friday. They are currently using three machines to draw out water from the river to put out the fires.

Today, June is in Lamandau with the fire-fighting teams and so hopefully we’ll receive an update on the situation when she returns.

Thank you Gerhard R, Helen N, Jenny O, Brigitta S, Tal B and Matthew K for your recent donations – your support is much appreciated.

Thanks,

Cathy

Tags: Borneo, forests, Orangutans, Wild Fires

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Category: Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Local Communities, Orangutan Foundation Staff | Date: Jul 09 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

Recently the Mobile Education and Library Unit (MELU), from our EC funded Lamandau Project, visited a local school to give a lesson about forest and orangutan conservation. More than 200 students of SMP 7 Middle First School in Pasir Panjang Village, Central kalimantan assembled in front of their school.  

 Enthusiasm was etched on their face as they listened to what Fadlik, our educator, had to say. The school yard, though clean, was barren with no big trees growing. So under the hot morning sun, Fadlik enthusiastically invited all the students to learn and understand the important of the forest and orangutan.    

Many questions were asked by the children including why forest and orangutan must be conserved, and what was the difference between orangutan and monkey?

Teachers watched the interaction between Fadlik and their students with interest. The teachers said their students must learn about conservation.  We hope the student’s love for their forests, their orangutans and other wild animals will increase with these efforts.

Tags: Borneo, conservation, education, Indonesia, Orangutans

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Category: Orangutan Foundation Staff | Date: Jul 03 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

Stephen blogged about the female orangutan Sawit and her adopted son Andi, back in January 2008, when they were released into Lamandau Wildlife Reserve. Andy was found injured in April and it is thought he was attacked by a male orangutan. He has been treated and kept in the quarantine enclosure at Camp Rusak. Having successfully recovered from his injuries he was given the okay at the end of May and he is now back in the forest and is doing well. We hope he will stay out off trouble!

Another piece of good news is that Andy’s adopted mother, Sawit, is four months pregnant.

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Category: Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Lamdandau Vet, Orangutan Foundation Staff, Orangutans | Date: Jun 09 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

On the 19th of May, 2009, the staff of Camp Rusak, Lamandau Wildlife Reserve noticed something funny about one of the orangutans in their area – Lady Di seemed to be dragging her arm, and not using it at all. They were very concerned, particularly since she is still caring for her young infant, and so immediately informed our vet via radio call. When Dr. Fiqri arrived, Lady Di went up to him, as if to say, “I have a broken arm, could you please fix it?” She then clambered voluntarily onto his back for the walk back to the Camp.

Lady Di and her infant in a holding cage, Camp Rusak. Note her left arm hanging down. Photo Orangutan Foundation.

Indeed her left arm was broken, and Dr. Fiqri initially tried to keep the arm in place with plaster.

Lady Di and her infant, Camp Rusak, Lamandau. Photo: Orangutan Foundation

However Lady Di had other plans for the plaster. Dr. Fiqri had a shock when he saw Lady Di later with bits of plasters all over her mouth, thinking that she was foaming at the mouth!

It was clear that they needed to get her arm x-rayed to ascertain the damage. Lady Di was taken into the Pangkalan Bun hospital, x-rayed, and under Dr. Fiqri’s supervision, later had her arm bandaged.

Pak Dian, Camp Rusak Manager (in blue), reassuring Lady Di. Photo:Orangutan Foundation

Lady Di at Pangkalan Bun hospital for an x-ray of her arm. Camp Rusak manager, Pak Dian and camp assistant with her. Photo: Orangutan Foundation

She was then brought back to Camp Rusak, where our staff are keeping an attentive watch on her.

It is likely that she had broken her arm by grabbing a branch that was not strong enough for her weight. Indeed she had some superficial cuts on her forehead that possibly supports this hypothesis. Thankfully, her infant was not harmed in any way, and aside from a broken arm that is well on the mend, Lady Di is doing very well.

Help us to look after these orangutans – please contribute anyway you can via Wildlife Direct. Thank you so much!

June

Programmes Manager

Tags: Borneo, orangutan, vet

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Category: Guard posts and patrols, Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Orangutan Foundation Staff, Orangutans, Reforestation, Uncategorized | Date: Jun 04 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

Recently I accompanied a logistic run to one of our guard posts, Pos Danau Burung (or Bird Lake Guard Post - where the the recent fires were), in the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve.

Getting supplies to Pos Danau Burung

We also had a surprise for them - lots of cake, from our previous meeting with government officials at nearby town of Sukamara. They were very happy with the impromptu tea!

Post Danau Burung also happens to be one of our plant nurseries for reforestation at the Reserve. Our Reforestation Manager, Pak Isem, recently bought more seedlings from local villagers, totalling to about 20 different indigenous species of plants, including fruiting trees that will eventually help feed the orangutans and other wildlife in Lamandau.

As you can see from the photos, the seedlings are doing very well. Currently, we are waiting for the wet season so we can plant these seedlings.

As well, we do need your support to help run our various programmes in Lamandau. With only US$15, you ensure that our field assistants are well-equipped. A donation of US$30 strengthens morale in our camps, with staff uniforms. Take a look at our donation box, and see what you would like to support! Thank you very much Matthew K, Brigitta S and Tal B for your monthly donations.

Thank you,

June

Tags: Borneo, conservation, forests, Orangutans, Reforestation

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Category: Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Local Communities, Orangutan Foundation Staff, Orangutans, Uncategorized | Date: May 29 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

Meet Pak Roji.

Pak Roji at the market

He works on the Education Team for our Lamandau Ecosystem Conservation Partnership, as our Community Liaison. Pak Roji’s passionate about all things mouldy, and organic!

He’s our compost expert, with a background in chemistry, and at least a decade of farming experience in Java. He currently works with the farmers collectives in four villages by the Western boundary of the Lamandau Reserve, to help improve their crops by applying compost.
Earlier in the week I visited Pak Roji in Sukamara, with the Head of our Education Team, Eddie, and our Liaison Officer, Astri, to meet up with local government officials to discuss about our plans to commence a compost project in the town.

Eddie rescues some seedlings that would have been burnt along with the garbage, to be planted at our office in Sukamara.

You may wonder how compost ties into orangutan conservation – and I’d say that wildlife conservation overall is holistic: assisting local communities to find alternative sustainable livelihoods that are still culturally relevant, is vital in obtaining their continuing support for the Reserve. The sandy soils that these farmers work on are nutritionally-poor, and organic composts help increase the yield of crops, while decreasing pressure on the local dump-site. Working one on one with farmers at the Western boundary of the Reserve have yielded small successes, and we hope to see this grow.

So far, the response has been encouraging, and we have received a lot of comments and advice from respective government officers from various fields. Our hopes for this project is that it is community-driven, with farmers benefitting from the harvest.

Eddie, our Education Team Leader, discusses land options with the Village Head of Natai Sedawak, Pak Nadi

We also met up with the village head from Natai Sedawak, to discuss possibilities on where the compost project could take place. He took us to various sites, including the local garbage dump that reminded us why this project is crucial!

Astri, our Liaison Officer, demonstrates the height of the garbage pile

I believe everybody in his or her lifetime, needs to visit their local dumpsite and understand how our daily consumption affects the rest of the community, and the world.

Pak Roji hard at work!

I’ll keep you in touch on how this project develops over time, but rest assured, Pak Roji continues to churn the soil to keep all organic waste wonderful and mouldy!

Thanks,

June

Tags: Borneo, communities, conservation, Indonesia, Orangutans

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Category: Forest Fires, Guard posts and patrols, Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Orangutan Foundation Staff, Uncategorized | Date: May 26 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

Last week the Central Kalimantan Agency for Conservation of Natural Resources (BKSDA) held motivation training sessions for their Forest Fire Brigade. They asked Orangutan Foundation staff to facilitate with this after the dedication they showed when tackling the recent fires that broke out in Sungai Lamandau Wildlife Reserve.

Pak Eko Novi, the Head of BKSDA SKW II Kalimantan Tengah, awarded a Manggala Agni (Forest Fire Brigade) Pin, to our staff at Danau Burung Post (Bird Lake Guard Post) because of their dedication and participation in tackling the fires.

Isam represented other KPEL (Partnership for Local Economic Development) staff (Sias, Amat, Fendy, Aris dan Jakir) at the award ceremony. It is hoped the award will help motivate other staff, BKSDA staff and the local community to have more responsibility and participation concerning the conservation of the Sungai Lamandau Wildlife Reserve.

At last week’s training session we aimed to build team cohesion and lift the spirits of the Forest Fire Brigade. We hope it will instill a sense of honour and the brigade will feel proud about their duties and their job. Fire fighting is not just a “job” but is “dedication” for nature conservation.

Pak Hudi leading the motivation and team building session.

The team building and motivation sessions included various games:

Carry a Bomb. Each team must carry a bottle (as a bomb) with limited tools from one place to a target. The aim is to encourage teamwork, strategy, and role distribution within the team.

Courier. Each team must deliver a message (a stick) from one place to another place only using their neck’s. This game has aim to build team work, strategy and the “quick think” response.

O-O Game. A pair of participants must save themselves from plastic rope that binds their hands. This game has the aim to build problem solving strategy.

Thank you,

Pak Hudi

Programme Coordinator, Orangutan Foundation UK

Tags: Forest Fires, Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Orangutan Foundation

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