Orangutan Foundation

Adopted baby orangutan Brain with mother Rosa

Brian (adopted infant orangutan) and Rosa (the surrogate orangutan mother) are living in the forest surrounding Camp Gemini, in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve. They are still being followed and monitored by two Camp staff (Utang and Winto). We met with them on Sunday not too far from the Camp, Rosa and Brian looked very happy. Brian was moving and swinging very friskily, up and down and he sometimes moved to other trees and then back again to Rosa.  The whole time Rosa keeping an eye on everything Brian did, if Brian had a problem Rosa went to help him. All Orangutan Foundation staff are very happy with Brian’s progress, he is very quick to adapt to the forest.

Infant orangutan Brian climbing whilst being closely watched by his "new" mother

Rosa is teaching Brian how to forage, she eats a few types of leaf and Brian is very clever to follow what Rosa does. He tries to reach the leaves by himself and eat them.  Meanwhile, Camelia (another young orangutan) watching Rosa and Brian, slowly moves closer to them. Brian gives a good response.

Infant orangutan Brian exploring

They play together and Brian follows Camelia, climbing to the top of the tree. In that moment there was a fantastic phenomenon shown by Camelia. She gave a lead to make a nest, Camelia broke the branch and made a nest for Brian. Rosa helped them to make the nest too. Slowly Brian reached for a small branch and broke it. Brian is very quick to learn and imitate everything he sees!

Brian and Rosa – making a nest

Brian learning forest skills

Many thanks to:

·       BKSDA Kalimantan Tengah (the  Natural Resources Conservation Agency of Central Kalimantan)

·       Mr. Eko Novi Setiawan the head of section II of the  Natural Resources Conservation Agency of Central Kalimantan (Kepala BKSDA SKW II Kalimantan Tengah),

·       Ibu Ashley Leiman OBE the Director of Orangutan Foundation UK,

·       Brian W. Matthews the Wildlife Photographer

·       Tigor Nainggolan the Lamandau orangutan Reintroduction Manager of Orangutan Foundation UK

·       Fiqri the Lamandau orangutan reintroduction Vet of Orangutan Foundation-UK

·       Uduk the Lamandau orangutan reintroduction Camp Coordinator of Orangutan Foundation-UK

·       Yatno for the Kijang pickup

·       All of Camp Siswoyo and Gemini Staff for the extraordinary jobs

Thank you to all our supporters who have given so generously to our ‘Protect Me and My Tree Appeal‘ – your support is crucial in helping us to provide a safe and secure habitat for these orangutans.

Regards,

Hudi  WD (Orangutan Foundation Programme Coordinator)

The help required for the adoption process for Brian is now focussed on behaviour. The camp staff tried heckling Brian and with this method we saw how much closer the relationship between Brian and Rosa grew. 

Brian moved to the other side or ran to Rosa. It also showed Rosa’s positive response.

The camp staff observed Brian running to Rosa and holding her. Rosa gave the same response and reached and held Brian with affection. Another time, the camp staff changed their method and heckled Rosa by holding her hands.  Brian tried to reach the camp staff’s hand to bite it. 

The result of the treatment shows good progress behaviours for Brian and Rosa in the adoption process, they are already close to each other and also watch out for each other. We hope they will be finally set free this week. 

Thank you,

Dr Fiqri (Orangutan Foundation Vet) 

The adoption of infant orangutan Brian by female orangutan Rosa is progressing well – they are much closer and there is more playing and jesting. Brian’s holding Rosa hand more frequently and even hugging Rosa. 

Brian and Rosa - © Orangutan Foundation

When tired of playing and jesting, Brian climbs and hangs about the cage, and Rosa jiggles the cage or lies about.

Brian and Rosa – interacting. © Orangutan Foundation

After Brian’s contented with playing and hanging he moves close to Rosa, strokes her, then pulls Rosa’s hair until it hurts her and she responsds by pulling Brian’s hand, slowly and carefully. Brian then bites Rosa’s hand, after which he runs and climbs over to the opposite corner. Brian repeats the same behaviour several times. It seems as though Brian is using this to make closer with his “new Mom”.

 Brian heckling Rosa © Orangutan Foundation

Brian has adapted to his new environment and situation. He knows when it’s feeding time and the Camp staff start preparing fruit and milk.

Feeding time © Orangutan Foundation

When Rosa and Brian are given fruit, Brian always heckles Rosa and takes her fruit. Rosa is wise and very patient and shares the fruit with Brian.

 Brian and Rosa -sharing fruit. © Orangutan Foundation

They seem to have developed a very strong bond and we are planning on letting Brian and Rosa out of their cage this week. 

Thank you,

 Dr Fiqri (Vet of Lamandau Orangutan Release Programme).

Please support our ‘Protect Me and My Tree Appeal’ -to help keep the orangutans in Lamandau free.

Amoi, female Bornean orangutan, was released into the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve at Camp Siswoyo on July 14 2004. Recently Amoi is found in the vicinity of Camp Gemini, with her adopted son, Richard. Perhaps Amoi fancied a change of scenery or different companions!

Amoi has a very tame nature and when the Camp staff order her to leave camp and go to the forest, Amoi replies with a sound similar to a man crying “hink….hink…hink…”.

Amoi and her adopted son, Richard.

Last year Amoi “adopted” a three-year-old male orangutan called Richard. Richard’s mother Ruta died in February 2008. Camp staff tried to find an appropriate mother for Richard and the job fell to Amoi. Initially Amoi rejected Richard but the camp staff continued to present Richard to Amoi and eventually Amoi accepted him. Since March 2008 she has become his new mother.

Thank you,

Dr Fiqri