Orangutan Foundation

Category: Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Lamdandau Vet, Local Communities, Orangutan Care Centre & Quarantine, Orangutan Foundation Staff, Orangutans, Uncategorized | Date: Nov 18 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

Orangutan Awareness and Orangutan Freedom

On Wednesday 11 November 2009, the rescue team from Section II Natural Resources Conservation Agency of Central Kalimantan and Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine (OCCQ-OFI) rescued one big male orangutan from Tanjung Putri, a local village. The orangutan was 183 cms tall, weighed approx 80 kg and was about 20 years old.  Mr. Eko Novi (The head of section II of the  Natural Resources Conservation Agency of Central Kalimantan) gave him the name “Jejawi”.

Jejawi being transferred to the speedboat

Orangutan is transferred by speedboat.

Mr. Eko Novi coordinated with Tigor, the Reintroduction Manager of Orangutan Foundation, for the translocation process. After medical observation by Dr Popo (OCCQ-OFI Vet) and Dr Fiqri (Lamandau Vet of Orangutan Foundation), on Friday 13th , Jejawi (the orangutan) was successfully translocated to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, the same place where Bruno, the sun bear, was released.

Mr. Eko Novi said this is a good moment to participate in Pekan Peduli Orangutan (Orangutan Awareness Week) with real action to help the orangutan to get a new life in safe habitat.  

When the door of the transporter cage was opened, Jejawi immediately move out from the cage, he looked around for a second and then with fantastic speed, moved and reached the branch, he climbed the trees, and then moved to other trees, climbing until reaching the canopy.  We hope Jejawi is now free for a better and safer life in the Lamandau reserve.

Back in the trees, hard to see - as orangutans should be! 

The Orangutan translocation story was already published in Metro TV (the Indonesian television station) for News Program, and published in Borneo News (Central Kalimantan news paper) to encourage orangutan conservation awareness.

Thank you,

Hudi WD

Programme Coordinator

Please support our ‘Protect Me and My Tree Appeal’ - keep these orangutans in forest where they deserve to be.

Tags: Indonesia, Orangutans, rescue, reserve, translocation, wild

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Category: Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Local Communities, Orangutans, Reforestation, Tree Planting, Yayorin | Date: Nov 11 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

Togu Simorangkir, director of Yayorin (Yayasan Orangutan Indonesia), our local partners, sent through some photo’s of their Orangutan Awareness Week activities. 

Yayorin’s theme for Orangutan Awareness Week 2009 is ‘Planting trees for the future’. They are targeting villages surrounding areas of orangutan habitat.

School Presentation - photo © Yayorin

Their school campaign involves presentations, mobile library, film show, quiz and games.

 Quiz and games - photo © Yayorin

Mobile library - photo © Yayorin

At the community level they have organised an exhibition, puppet show and film show. 

Film show - photo © Yayorin

Puppet show - photo © Yayorin

On Sunday 15 November, Yayorin we will be planting trees in Tanjung Putri village and in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve buffer zone. In total about 1500 trees will be planted by students and communities. 

Seedlings to be planted - photo © Yayorin

Yayorin will also be promoting “cheap in your own land” - a campaign to change the slash and burn agriculture method to sustainable permanent agriculture. 

Yayorin’s Orangutan Awareness Week 2009 badge ‘planting trees for the future’, which they produce and give away for free.

We’ll post about what we’ve been up to in the UK tomorrow, Orange for Orangutan Day - go on, go orange and support our work, it’s not too late!

Thanks,

Cathy

Orangutan Foundation - UK office

Tags: Indonesia, Local Communities, orangutan, Tree Planting

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Category: Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Orangutans, Uncategorized | Date: Nov 10 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

This week is Orangutan Awareness Week - join us to raise awareness and funds for orangutan conservation.

This Thursday 12th is Orange for Orangutan Day - wear something orange or do something orange for the day - you can download posters or get more ideas from our website.

All money raised will go towards our Protect Me and My Tree Appeal - helping to keep orangutans that have been released in to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve in the wild, where they belong.

Protect Me and My Tree!  Photo -Orangutan Foundation 

Do something for orangutans this week - spread the word, leave a message of support, join our pub quiz or make a donation!

A huge thank you from all of us at the Orangutan Foundation, in Indonesia and the UK.

Tags: Awareness, Indonesia, orange day, Orangutans, Wildlife

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Category: Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Lamdandau Vet, Oil Palm Plantations, Orangutan Care Centre & Quarantine, Orangutan Foundation Staff, Orangutans, Rehabilitation, Uncategorized | Date: Nov 09 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

Last Sunday the Orangutan Foundation responded to reports of a young female orangutan isolated in a tree in an oil palm plantation.  

The young  female orangutan climbed the fig tree when we arrived in the oil palm plantation area at Pandu senjaya village, Pangkalan Lada.  

Uduk and Yatno  climbed the tree, but the orangutan moved to the top of the tree. At 17.30 the orangutan made the third nest and prepared to sleep. It started to get dark, so Uduk climbed down from the tree. We decided to stop the rescue and drove back to Pangkalan Bun. A labourer from the oil palm plantation stayed and watched the orangutan during the night.

The next day at 05.00 Dr Fiqri, the Vet of Orangutan Foundation’s Reintroduction Programme arrived and the orangutan was still in the tree. The labourer had started work that made the orangutan scared to come down. 

The plantation labourer moved to a different area and the orangutan began to climb down. Dr Fiqri tried to catch her but she was very fast and moved to another tree, climbing right to the top.

The second rescue team arrived at 08.00, started to moved in on the second tree where the orangutan was.

At 10.00 the orangutan climbed down and the rescue team succeeded to catch her with a net.

Dr Fiqri immediately checked the orangutan and he found worms in the orangutan’s faeces but on a whole the orangutan was in good condition. 

The young  female orangutan inside the transportation cage.

We then had to carefully transfer the cage to the truck.

 The young female orangutan on the back of the truck with Dr Fiqri always keeping a close eye on the whole translocation process for safe and good handling. 

The young  female orangutan’s view as she leaves the oil palm plantation. She will be freed in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, a safer and healthier habitat, after she has received treatment for the worms in the Orangutan care Center and Quarantine (OCCQ) facility.

Dr Fiqri said approximately 3 or 4 days after treatment the female orangutan is ready to be translocated to the reserve where she will be monitored and protected. Please make a donation today to support our work in the Lamandau reserve - these orangutans deserve a life in the forest and the forests deserve orangutans.

Special thanks  go to; Eko Novi, the head of of Section II Nature Resources Conservation Agency of Central Kalimantan; Haryo, who gave the information about the young  female orangutan in the oil palm plantation; Sia and Polis (OCCQ  Staff) for good collaboration rescue ; Tigor (Orangutan Reintroduction Manager), Uduk (Orangutan Reintroduction Camp Coordinator), Fiqri (Orangutan Reintroduction Vet) and Yatno (Orangutan Reintroduction Driver) for the good work and dedication.

Thank you,

Hudi W Dewe

Orangutan Foundation - Programme Co-ordinator

Tags: Indonesia, oil palm, Orangutans, rescue, Wildlife Reserve

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Category: Forest Fires, Uncategorized | Date: Sep 24 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

Fires in Sabangau -CIMTROP© Images should not be used without permission 

We have just received the following communications from Professor Jack Rieley, a world expert on tropical peatlands, about the fire situation in Sabangau, which has worsened over the last few days. To help support the efforts of CIMTROP (Centre for International Cooperation in the Management of Tropical Peatland) the organisation on the ground tackling the fires, please use our general donation button and leave a comment stating your donation is for CIMTROP/Sabangau. 

Thank you for your support,

Orangutan Foundation

An SMS message from Dr Suwido Limin, director of CIMTROP, sent earlier today (24^th Sept) from inside the major fire area in the upper Sabangau

  “Big fire started from our research transect, spread across middle of Taruna canal and trans Kalimantan highway up to dams 3&4. Fire speed is around 1 km per hour supported by strong wind all day. Now I am working at night with my team. The tree regeneration plot expected all burned but cannot see yet.” 

Above and below -with limited resources CIMTROP tackle the fires. CIMTROP© Images should not be used without permission

This was followed by another SMS from Dr Suwido Limin.

“Now midnight. We are operating 4 pumps. I am manning one machine with Agung. I will work until morning but very tired.“  

Training - CIMTROP© Images should not be used without permission

Email from Dr Suwido Limin sent to Jack Rieley (22^nd Sept).

 ‘I have just come from Kalampangan. On this afternoon, we started to implement a new method. The fires become worst again!  In Taruna and Kalampangan fires started on the afternoon of 20^th of September. Our team are still trying as much as possible to secure and save this area, but the fires spread very fast and the wind is moving rapidly so that we are being overwhelmed. Our team is working very hard, all day and night and one person was injured. We tried to secure two towers and several research equipments. Some areas of our reforestation project have been burned (eventuality).  I’m personally indeed truly sad with the worst situation. All of the TSA (fire-fighting team) power is limited and we are hardly able to extinguish the fires at this location. Neither can we enter and check inside the area (using the tower) because the road along the canal was burned and created many holes of embers.’   

TSA Training CIMTROP© Images should not be used without permission

Email from Dr Jyrki Jauhiainen (22^nd Sept), a research scientist at the University of Helsink, who was in the Sabangau area until a few days ago. 

‘Arrived back to Finland yesterday afternoon. Things may be really bad in our peat research sites now. Haze was bad until last Wednesday, but we succeeded to get our sampling done & gas monitoring sites established. Wednesday evening there was heavy rain and that cleared air and suppressed many of the surface fires. Things seemed to be under control again despite some wind breeze on Friday & Saturday morning. We left from Palangka Raya (PKY) on Saturday as the sky was still clear (probably that was the last Garuda flight for some time).  SMS messages from PKY have been sad: gas monitoring plot & equipment in Block-B Berengbenkel lost, Kalampangan open area plot lost, Japanese open area minitower likely lost, Suwido worried about fate of tall Japanese towers and base camp, Taruna village evacuated, Siemenpuu area likely lost, many firemen in hospital due to respiratory problems… Many of the above mentioned areas cannot be accessed due to thick smoke and now health of people is more important. Suwido must be quite depressed and tired.’ 

Please consider donating to help CIMTROP tackle these fires.

Tags: Borneo, Forest Fires, Indonesia, Orangutans, Sabangau

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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

One response so far

Category: Forest Fires, Orangutans | Date: Aug 27 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

We have just heard from Ashley Leiman, Orangutan Foundation’s Director, who is currently in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo that, as of today (27^th August 2009), the local Department of Forestry has sent out fire fighting teams to localized fire hot spots.

The area where our field programmes are based has received virtually no rain for seven to eight weeks and all the rivers are extremely low. Ashley, who was calling from the Orangutan Foundation office in Pangkalan Bun, said “there is the smell of smoke in the air”. Orangutan Foundation has guard posts equipped with fire fighting equipment and our employees are alert and ready to take action if necessary.

Over two weeks ago we launched an appeal on behalf of our partners, CIMTROP (Centre for International Cooperation in the Management of Tropical Peatland), working in the Sebangau Forests.  Thank you to everyone who responded so quickly and generously, your donations will be directed to CIMTROP, who are working around the clock to tackle the raging fires.

Orangutan Foundation is now widening this fire appeal to include other forest areas at risk.

Tags: Borneo, Forest Fires, Indonesia, Orangutans, Wildlife

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Category: Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Oil Palm Plantations, Uncategorized | Date: Jul 28 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

Lamandau Ecosystem Conservation Partnership (LECP) recently helped facilitate meetings in order to increase protection to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve Buffer Zone Area.

 Meeting between government and oil-palm companies faciliated by Lamandau Ecosystem Conservation Partnership (funded by the EU).

Finally, on July 13 2009, the Indonesian Government Agency for the Conservation of Natural Resources of Central Borneo (BKSDA) and two oil palm plantation companies, which have their plantation area close to or on the border of Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve area, signed the Memorandum of Understanding and Memorandum of Agreement, witnessed by Kotawaringin Barat and Sukamara District Government. The two companies are Sungai Rangit, Co. Ltd. and Bumitama Gunajaya Abadi, (BGA) Co. Ltd. 

According to Chief of BKSDA of Central Borneo, Mr. Mega Hariyanto, the memorandum is  the first Memorandum of Understanding in Indonesia on a conservation area’s buffer zone, that has been established by government and private sector.

The companies, BGA and Sungai Rangit, are willing not to plant and do any business activities within a radius of 500 meters outside of Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve buffer area. This is also very important as the reserve is a government designated orangutan release site. 

Below is a translated quotation from a local newspaper, Borneonews, on the memorandum assignation:  

BKSDA and Company made MoU on Conservation of Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve Thursday, July 23, 2009 |

‘Borneo News Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve which is situated at Kotawaringin Barat, Central Borneo is a conservation area which needs a protection. Related to its conservation, the management of Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve under coordination of the Indonesian Government Agency for the Conservation of Natural Resources has made a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two companies which operated side by side with Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.  Namely, Bumitama Guna Jaya Abadi (BGA), Co. Ltd which is situated at Kotawaringin Barat and Sungai Rangit, Co. Ltd. which is situated at Sukamara District are the two companies.  There are six important points that concluded within the agreement. Which are: BGA and Sungai Rangit are prohibited to do land clearing for plantation or any purposes in surrounding Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.  BGA and Sungai Rangit is willing not to plant and doing any business activities within radius of 500 meters outside of Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve buffer area.  Both BGA and Sungai Rangit have to cooperate and accompanied by BKSDA to prevent forest fire in surrounding Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve. BGA and Sungai Rangit are obligated to make a report to BKSDA on the existence of orangutan and other protected wildlife if they were entering in plantation area.  BGA and Sungai Rangit also support BKSDA of Central Borneo socialization activity to community, and both companies should report to BKSDA of Central Borneo if there are any indication of illegal activity arround of Lamandau Wildlife Reserve appears.  Chief of BKSDA of Central Borneo Mega Harianto explained that one of reason to establish the agreement is issue on emission reduction caused by global warming that will harm environment.  ”This understanding and agreement is an initial point in building socialization on environment awareness surrounding Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve and both companies” Mega said.  Continued by Mega, the agreement is necessary established since management of Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve has been doing more effort to handle problems within its area, compared to manage Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve natural resources it self.  

In the other side, Second Assistance Regional Secretary of Kotawaringin Barat Regency, M. Sayrifudin emphasized that rules on area are necessary built by government at province or higher level in order to keep Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve from residence.’

Thank you,

Astri

Orangutan Foundation Liaison Office

Tags: buffer zones, forests, Indonesia, oil palm

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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: Uncategorized | Date: Jun 16 2009 | By: orangutanfoundation

Please excuse another non-field related post but I’d like to say a huge thank you to Kate and Micky Walsarie Wolff who run a B&B called L’Orée des Bois (www.chambres-charente.com) in France.

Kate and Micky, members of the Orangutan Foundation, visited Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo a few years ago. It was Micky’s first trip back to Indonesia in 50 years. The trip inspired them to get involved and help and so on Saturday they held an Indonesian evening in aid of the Orangutan Foundation.

I was lucky to be in a position to go along to the evening and sample the delicious authentic Indonesian cuisine on offer, such as my favourite dish Gado-Gado.

All the food was prepared and cooked by their family who drove all the way from Holland!

The evening ended with a raffle and everyone was very generous in buying plenty of tickets. Thank you to La Vallee des Singes who provided the first prize and thank you Kate and Micky!

Cathy - Orangutan Foundation UK office.

Tags: fundraising, Indonesia, orangutan

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