The Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, in Sabah, Malaysia, is one of the most important landscapes for Bornean elephants, as well as a spectacular array of other wildlife, with important populations of orangutans, proboscis monkeys, saltwater crocodiles, and phenomenal birdlife, including the rhinoceros hornbill.

Yet forest clearance for timber in the past and intensive cultivation of oil palm since the 1980s has eaten into this biodiversity hotspot, leaving just isolated blocks of forest, people and elephants fighting for space, and all other wildlife threatened.

Through its involvement as lead charity in Jungle City – which has now transformed the streets of Edinburgh into a jungle – Elephant Family is raising awareness of this wildlife paradise, and securing funds for its partner organisations and projects that are working hard to save it.

Oil palm plantations began replacing the Kinabatangan forest in the 1980s. The Malbumi Oil Palm Estate developed the Tanjung Panjang area along the Kinabatangan River, and constructed buildings to accommodate their workers and a collection centre for the fruits produced in their plantations. A road connects the plantations to a jetty from where a ferry transports fruit-laden lorries and people. Because of the dominance of the estate in the area, the local villagers have come to forget its original name and know it simply as Malbumi.

Tanjung Panjang is also an important area for elephant movements within the Lower Kinabatangan Landscape, and the Malbumi Estate had created a break therein. In 2005, the local NGO, HUTAN – Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Programme (HUTAN – KOCP), the Sabah government and WWF Malaysia successfully reclaimed a 200m strip along the river for the Wildlife Sanctuary, forcing the Malbumi Estate to relocate their employees, and allowing wildlife to continue moving within the landscape.

However, the gravel road left behind is still used for transporting palm oil, and continues to disturb the landscape. Nurzhafarina Othman – Elephant Family’s Representative with HUTAN-KOCP, and researcher for the Danau Girang Field Centre – reports that she and the HUTAN-KOCP’s Elephant Conservation Unit have observed more than 20 vehicles using the road (pictured above) from morning to night, transporting oil palm and plantation workers to the jetty. The drivers sound their horns to keep the elephants within the remaining pockets forest. On one occasion recently, they witnessed an elephant group that had been forced into one pocket of forest by the drivers’ horns, and which was then scared again in another direction by a sound cannon (which are used regularly to keep elephants out of the plantations) from a nearby plantation. The group was left stressed and anxious, and trumpeted for some time afterwards.

Nurzhafarina is studying their behaviour and measuring the levels of stress hormone in their dung from differentlocations, in order to develop a better understanding of their movements and how the break up of their landscape is affecting them. The elephants are not a danger to people’s lives at the moment, but the more stressed they become, the greater the risk that this might change. HUTAN-KOCP have meanwhile recorded that this fragmentation of the landscape has reduced the Kinabatangan Orangutan population, and affected their diet and ranging patterns.

Through Jungle City, we are celebrating the incredible wildlife of the Lower Kinabatangan, alerting people to the threats as described, and hoping that they will be moved to support our vital partnerships to help save it. Support is needed for the Elephant Conservation Unit of HUTAN - KOCP, for example, to continue its work with the local communities and palm oil estates to find ways of keeping conflict between people and elephants to a minimum, and to secure safe passage for the elephants and other wildlife within the landscape. HUTAN-KOCP is also re-foresting the 200m strip of land to restore a “real” wildlife corridor for the elephants – in total this will be a land area of 12 hectares or about 7 1/2 times bigger than the Scottish Parliament Building – while discussing with the Sabah government whether the road should still exist. Meanwhile, Elephant Family is partnered with the Danau Girang Field Centre as well, for their work in tracking the elephants by radio collar, providing invaluable data on their movements and habitat availability, helping prioritise crucial areas for saving the wider landscape.

And now, if inspired by the sculptures on the streets of Edinburgh, supporters of Elephant Family and Jungle City can visit their real life counterparts in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, and even contribute to their protection and the research being carried out. Elephant Family is delighted to have partnered with The Great Projects, an award-winning, responsible tourism social enterprise, which is also a proud sponsor of Jungle City. The Great Elephant Project is a 12-day conservation volunteer experience where there is a chance to see the wildlife, participate in tree planting, spend time with the local community, and help collect information for the researchers. What’s more, some of the proceeds from the cost of the experience is invested directly back into the projects and Elephant Family. by Dan Bucknall, Elephant Family

Our orangutan infants have a new place to play

Paloma updates us on the latest improvements to International Animal Rescue's orangutan centre in Ketapang, West Kalimantan.From The Primate Diaries

With 11 new orangutans arriving just last month, we have been making some improvements to the centre. As five of these orangutans are infants between 3 and 4 years old, it has been necessary to provide another area where they can play once they have completed the quarantine period. The new area is four times bigger than the baby school and it also has more trees.

However, the ground is wet, which is good because it makes them spend more time in the trees, but at the same time it is hard to build platforms and structures for them to play on.

During this entire month the plan has been to prepare this area for the new infant orangutans, although Melky, Bunga and Sindy are already enjoying the area.

The new play area provides the infant orangutans with more trees and space to explore

Thanks to the help of the first volunteer group from The Great Projects and IAR’s Ketapang team, the first platform has been finished. It has four floors and is very strong. The idea is to give the orangutans food on these platforms so they will get used to being high up and overcome any fear.

We still have a lot of work to do to make this infant area a great place which they can really enjoy, while at the same time training and improving their natural behaviours. It will be wonderful to see them all playing once it is finished!

Join the new volunteer programme at Ketapang to help rebuild the centre to house the influx of rescued and relocated orangutans and better the conditions of resident apes. Join us for 4 weeks in Borneo and help make difference to rescued orangutans. Visit IAR Project Borneo .

Project in Borneo sees Orangutans Relocated to IAR's Ketapang Centre.

At the request of the Forestry Department in West Kalimantan (BKSDA), IAR's team in Indonesia has relocated 11 orangutans from a rescue centre in Sintang to their own emergency rescue and rehabilitation facility in Ketapang. This raises the number of orangutans in the IAR centre to 38.

Although well fed and healthy, the animals were being kept without a licence from the Forestry Department which gave the authorities cause for concern over the orangutans' immediate security and their future long term care. All the animals had previously been rescued from captivity and some of them had spent years living in deplorable conditions.

Before the relocation went ahead, an IAR vet carried out a thorough veterinary examination and behavioural assessment of the orangutans to determine whether each animal was in a satisfactory physical and mental condition to be relocated to the Ketapang centre. All animals that are brought in to the facility undergo a period in quarantine before they begin the process of rehabilitation and socialisation.

The orangutans arrived at IAR's centre on 30 May after a 48 hour journey by road and by boat. Three rangers also made the trip which was organised and coordinated by IAR vets Dr Anita and Dr Adi, from sedating the orangutans before the trip right through to their arrival in Ketapang. Karmele Llano Sanchez, Executive Director of IAR Indonesia, said: "All 11 orangutans from the centre in Sintang arrived safely at IAR’s facility at 8am today. They are in good condition and look perfectly healthy.

11 relocated orangutans arriving at the IAR Centre. "I would like to thank and congratulate our team from Ketapang for doing such a good job and showing such professionalism throughout the relocation. Now the really tough task begins with the rehabilitation of 11 more orangutans!"

Alan Knight OBE, Chief Executive of International Animal Rescue, said: "We now need to focus our efforts on building the best orangutan conservation centre in the world so we can give all the orangutans we rescue the greatest possible chance of returning to the wild.

"Our thanks go to our American partner Orangutan Outreach for meeting the costs of the entire relocation operation."

International Animal Rescue has started building a new orangutan conservation centre not far from the existing facility with funding from a generous UK benefactor. However, the charity still needs to raise significant sums of money to complete the construction and cover the project's running costs. Blog by IAR - 6 June 2011.

An infant orangutan receives refreshment during the journey

Join the new volunteer programme at Ketapang to help rebuild the centre to house the influx of rescued and relocated orangutans and better the conditions of resident apes. Join us for 4 weeks in Borneo and help make difference to rescued orangutans.

Afzaal Mauthoor blogs on the launch of the Great Gorilla Project in Uganda.

I know what you could have done this summer. You could have joined the fortunate few that will raise awareness to thousands of children and families in Uganda on Gorilla conservation through an innovative pedal powered cinema, and spend time with Dian Fossey's good friend, ape expert Ian Redmond while on the tour, and make a dream come true, not once but twice, trekking for gorilla families. The first Great Gorilla Project voluntour in July 2011 is fully booked. The new team of volunteers led by Ian Redmond (ape expert), Madelaine Westwood of GAFI (Great Apes Film Initiative) and The Great Projects Project Leader, Nicola Clarke is ready to fly out from London, UK to Uganda. Not too late to join. Click here to do all of the above in October 2011 or May 2012.

The Bike that Saves Gorillas.

Powering the cinema. Image by Tuver Wundi on Wildlife Direct)

A pedal powered cinema is moving through remote regions of Uganda in 2011, generating local awareness of gorilla conservation. The mobile cinema will be featured as volunteer days in the 2 week Great Gorilla Project tour.

Tuver Wundi blogs today on Wildlife Direct. "Since the programme was launched back in November 2010, around 21,400 people have watched these pedal-powered films, and we hope this will increase to 60,000 by the end of October. Judging by the debates that take place after each screening, it’s obvious that the films are a real hit, with many people wanting to learn more about gorillas or even visit them for themselves".

The Bike Arrives! Image by Tuver Wundi on Wildlife Direct

Fostering gorilla relations with local people is focused on communities surrounding the Mgahinga and Bwindi National parks, which combined are home to over 5 habituated groups of gorillas and many other wild groups. In fact the area between Bwindi and Mgahinga is home to half the world's population of Mountain Gorillas. Only 720 mountain gorillas are left in the wild, so to help raise local awareness of these great apes is vital to their long term survival.

Your Travel can helps save Gorillas.

We at The Great Projects and GAFI are calling on all wildlife travelers to be part of this experience and help us use conservation films to bridge the gap between local people and gorilla who share the same vulnerable rainforest habitats. It also provides Ian Redmond’s insight into the gorilla treks, which is a once in a lifetime opportunity to understand the world of gorilla conservation from the eyes of someone who began his career 35 years ago working with Dian Fossey (Gorillas in the Mist).

Travelers will leave the tour with a sense of global responsibility knowing that the cost their wildlife holiday helped educate thousands of children about gorilla and that they were in the thick of the action, making the difference.

Project Leader Nicola Clarke with children in Uganda

But to most volunteers the highlight will always be trekking to see the gorilla families. In this tour you get the chance to do this twice! Video below is from Friend a Gorilla is shows infant apes playing. Those traveling with us in July will be in the thick of the experience this time next month.

5 tips on how to win a career in conservation

Nicola Clarke (26 years), Project Leader for The Great Projects, shows us how to go from jewelry artist from Brighton University to ape conservation in Borneo. Watch her recent video at Samboja Lestari in Borneo or read below her journey into a career in conservation and making a difference to local people, vulnerable places and endangered animals.

Nicola Clarke's journey - tribes, orangutans, gorillas and more...

There are not many jobs in the world where you get the opportunity to make an impact as an individual and effect real change, while simultaneously working on something you are passionate about and which allows for travel to exotic destinations. This amazing career is a career in conservation. A career in conservation however, is not just a job. It is a life choice. And more often than not, you end up going into it head first!

When contemplating a career in conservation, there are many things to consider as it is a highly competitive sector with sought after jobs. In order to make it in this industry you have to be determined and have the ability to go the distance.

A degree in conservation is not a bad place to start. It demonstrates your commitment and interest in animals, habitats and conservation. It is a good foundation from which to build a career in conservation. A degree alone however, is not nearly enough.

I have always dreamed of traveling and have always had a passion for animals. So it may come as a surprise that I graduated with a degree in three dimensional design and photography and went on to become a professional jeweler and photographer. My passion for travel and for animals however, eventually led me towards a career in conservation. But it took a lot of drive, passion, a little bit of thinking outside of the box and hard work to get there. Today, I am very happy being a professional Project Leader for a multi-award winning responsible tourism company which is leading the way in endangered animal protection tourism in the global south. As a Project Leader I get to work behind the scenes at wildlife centres around the world that are closed to everyday people. This is a privilege and I use my photography to capture these magic moments to share with everyone. Professional photography and visual arts will always be a passion for me. And the chance to be a wildlife expressionist works in paralell to my job of looking after projects in rainforests of Borneo or Uganda.

One of my earliest experiences that convinced me a career in conservation was the way forward was a volunteering trip I took across south-east Asia post graduation. In particular, I volunteered on an orangutan project with The Great Projects where I worked at a national zoo in Malaysia before travelling on to Borneo to visit animal rehabilitation centres there. The project concluded with my living in the remote Sarawak jungle in Borneo with a local community, tracking wild orangutans and working alongside the community on animal protection issues. The experience affected me deeply and I knew that I wanted to do more. I knew that the beautiful people, animals and places that I had been so privileged to meet and witness would not be there long if nothing was done to protect them. I made the decision to abandon a planned postgraduate course in art and focussed my energies on conservation instead.

My journey however, has not been all about travel and adventure. When I finally began my career in conservation it was from behind a desk, in an office, learning about conservation tourism and animal welfare. I enjoyed my time spent at the offices of The Great Projects, often doing sales work, as it gave me much needed knowledge and experience. It certainly paid off as I went on to consult on the creation of new volunteer programmes for The Great Projects. Then came the big one – I was given the opportunity to travel to Uganda to put together a gorilla volunteer project, which in itself was a remarkable and life changing experience. It enabled me to screen gorilla conservation films to over 10,000 people in Uganda over 2 weeks. This was with our partnership with GAFI. Today, my role at The Great Projects, amongst other things, is to design volunteer programmes as well as to run volunteer them in several different countries across the world.

Here are 5 tips that helped me get a job in conservation.

Tip 1: Get behind the scenes experience.

My advice to someone at the inception of a career in conservation is first, to give their time to learning about the industry. Gain some experience and put theory into practical use. Volunteering is an excellent way to do this. Volunteering gives you insight into what it would be like if you were to work and live as a conservationist. A conservation volunteering experience is a taster of what it would be like to live as an animal keeper or conservationist on the field. Conservation volunteer programmes take you behind the scenes of wildlife centres and get you some hands on work. For 2 weeks or 4 weeks you can immerse yourself deeply into a new way of life and choose if this life is the one for you.

Tip 2: Think outside of the box.

The industry is highly competitive and capitalising on your strengths is a good way to set yourself apart from the competition. For example, I used my qualification in photography to capture the things I had seen on my first volunteer programme. I compiled all the images into a book and had the book published. I did this to raise awareness on issues affecting orangutans and their habitats, and to raise money for the orangutans. My efforts resulted my being offered a place on an expedition to east Kalimantan in Borneo to set up new orangutan volunteer programmes, including building climbing platforms and ‘islands’ for the orangutans. The expedition was a joint effort between The Great Projects and Borneo Survival Foundation, and the new volunteer programmes being put together were aimed at providing support for the rehabilitation of some 225 orangutans.

Tip 3: Passionate about conservation.

Conservation work can be difficult and frustrating at times. You will often be working in environments that are fraught with cultural and political sensitivities. You will be faced with limitations and the changes that you seek can often be slow in coming. It is your passion that will see you through these times and keep you from throwing the towel in.

Tip 4: Be realistic in your expectations.

Everybody wants to work with the big animal species such as orangutans, gorillas, elephants and the like. Opportunities in areas of conservation involving these animals are hard to come by as they are highly saturated areas. Furthermore, these particular animals already have long standing experts on them. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work with orangutans and gorillas, but I would not profess to be an expert on either species. There are many experts on these animals and who have spent their lifetime getting there. It would be difficult for someone like me to offer a unique observation or perspective on these animals. My advice would be to focus on an animal or an area of conservation that has yet to be studied and to become expert within that area. In doing so, you will gain the necessary kudos within the world of conservation and will eventually be able to go on to work with another animal species of your choice. Take Channy in Indonesian Borneo for example. A French man only in his twenties yet considered to be an expert on gibbons. He focussed on a species that had not been widely studied. His approach was to lobby the conservation world to redefine the status of the gibbon as a lesser ape to a great ape.

Tip 5: Do not give up.

It is worth it when you get there. For me, being part of The Great Projects and seeing theimpact that it has made via responsible tourism has been a rewarding experience. I have had the opportunity to be a part of amazing projects and expeditions. This July 2011 I will be participating in a gorilla expedition to Uganda, led by the eminent Ian Redmond OBE. Ian Redmond is a tropical field biologist and conservationist renowned for his work with great apes and elephants. He is best known for his friendship and work with Dian Fossey and their work with mountain gorillas. He has been involved in more than 50 documentaries on the subject, including introducing David Attenborough to gorillas that helped soften the attitude towards gorillas.

Finally, I wish you all the best of luck. If you would like to gain some conservation experience and have the opportunity to work with a wide range of animal species, or if you would simply like to find out more about some of the things that I have talked about here, email me on volunteer@w-o-x.com.

This year Nicola is leading the tours in Uganda called the Great Gorilla Project and stewards the volunteer programmes at Samboja Lestari in Borneo where over 250 orangutans are in care.

Its an image that would stir emotion in even the most hardened of hearts. What on earth would possess someone to do this to another living organism? This photograph (courtesy of IAR) was printed in yesterday's UK newspaper News of the World and is a clear example of man's capacity to harm in the most primitive way. I thought we were the primates with the greater intelligence? It beggars belief and is heart-breaking!

Human, wildlife conflict is a growing concern for conservationists in the field. As natural habitats shrink as a result of anthropogenic activities, the problem is exacerbated and endangered species are viewed as pests by local people, when they start to encroach on private land.

According to the Sussex-based charity International Animal Rescue (IAR), the starving mother and baby had been spotted in the village of Peniraman in Indonesia, after there was a landslide in the surrounding area. She was scavenging for food to feed her infant; but her appearance in the village was far from welcomed.

The charity says the forest surrounding the village has been converted into palm oil plantations and any small patches of remaining woodland are occupied by people. Forests are the last viable habitats for the orangutan species, but fragmented forests cannot support these arboreal great apes sufficiently and they are forced to the ground to look for food elsewhere.

A team from IAR says it witnessed unspeakable cruelty towards this pair before help arrived.

Vet Karmele Llono- Sanchez told the newspaper: "They laid into the mother with sticks until she fell on the ground, then tied her arms and legs with rope. As the mob tried to drag her off she fought back to save her screeching baby. So villagers threw a net over them, wrenched the little one away and tied her up too. Then they hauled the mother into a swimming pool and held her under till she passed out. They then dragged her into the makeshift cage. She was just about still alive but could barely sit up as they tossed baby Peni in with her. At that point the crowd grew restless again, yelling and poking the animals with sticks - luckily it was then that one of my colleagues arrived at the scene and managed to stop the torture."

The infant, Peni survived, the mother died 15 minutes later en route to getting treatment. Peni is now nine months old and is still recovering from her trauma. She'll stay at IAR's rehab centre in Ketapang until a decision can be made on whether she'll be fit and able to fend for herself if released back into the wild.

According to the United Nations, the natural forests of Sumatra and Borneo are being cleared so fast, up to 98 per cent may be destroyed by 2022. These palm oil plantations cause enormous and often irreversible damage to the natural environment through cutting down and burning tropical rainforests. There is approximately 300-700 million hectares of abandoned land globally that can potentially be used for oil palm plantations instead of virgin rainforest; 20 million hectares in Indonesia alone.

A spokesman for IAR said: "There are still seven remaining orangutans living in unsuitable forests surrounding the village of Peniraman where this tragedy took place, including the male who came down to the village with the mother and Peni. IAR's team is committed to doing everything they can to rescue and translocate all these orangutans as soon as they can raise sufficient funds to do so."

Asha Tanna is a freelance journalist who is retraining to become a Primatologist. She writes a conservation blog http://whogivesamonkeys.com/ which looks at primate-related issues and is our guest blogger for The Great Projects.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO ORANGUTANS IN KETAPANG: The Great Projects in partnership with IAR is running a special volunteer experience to Ketapang aiming to rebuild the wildlife centre for orangutans. Join us this summer (June, July, August 2011) for 2 or 4 weeks in Borneo and help make difference to rescued orangutans. Visit "Build a Future for Orangutans".

Asha Tanna is a freelance journalist who is retraining to become a Primatologist. Follow her journey through the wonderful world of primates.

I'd like to think I'm not an 'over-the shoulder reader' when I travel on the tube. I find it really irksome when other people do it to me and I often want to turn and say, "Have you quite finished, can I turn the page now?!"

I always carry a book or pick up a free paper for my journey -  there's plenty of them at most tube stations and depending on which line you use, some carriages are littered with dog-eared rags which have been re-read by at least three different people, according to some surveys. Someone pass me the sanitiser!

This afternoon I found myself not so much looking over the shoulder, but staring at the back page of a paper which was held up for all and sundry to view. There, in what was a half page ad, was the cutest photograph of a baby orangutan half smiling (in that anthropomorphic-way) as a blatant plug for an airline flying to South East Asia.

I'm all for a country embracing its local assets, but how local wildlife is protected and preserved through tourism is something of a hot potato, especially when it comes to endangered species.

Over the weekend my Irish friend, Bodhrán-Queen (BQ) was asking me about the different types of organisations that charge you for the privilege of being a volunteer in order to get up close and personal with the local wildlife. Some of these 'experiences' can be very pricey ranging from £1500 upwards and there's no guarantee you know where the money is going or how reputable the company is. You must do your own research and check! There's no overall eco-tourism ombudsman, so if in doubt try and cross reference with a reputable conservation organisation, if you're unsure.

However, one company I did suggest BQ look at is The Great Projects, which I have only recently discovered myself. Last week I was introduced via email to its managing director, Afzaal Mauthoor.

Last year the company - which has a base is Hertfordshire - was given a highly commended award in the category of best volunteering organisation for its Great Orangutan Project in the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards. The Great Projects has been going for more than six years and Mr Mauthoor has spent many years living and working in Malaysia before he decided to bring the concept to the UK. He told me: "We were so pleased to be recognised, we haven't bagged the biggie yet, which is the overall winner in that category, so it's something to aim for.

"When I started The Great Projects I wanted to build a company that would not follow the old dinosaur model of some NGO's. I used to work as a consultant at a time when eco-tourism was just starting to take off in Malaysia. There were lots of gap year students and people on career-breaks looking to do something different. I saw there was an opportunity and so I started looking at alternative ways of helping conservation while creating a meaningful experience for people."

Mr Mauthoor tells me the company tries to be more accountable to local people and the organisation is run like a business where 25 per cent of its total revenue goes back to local communities where the projects are run. Any profits made are then used to start other projects and run the various sites.

If done well eco-tourism can also be hugely beneficial to the indigenous population, who appreciate the influx of tourists spending their hard-earned cash.

He said: "In 2009, we received one hundred and twenty-one volunteers at Sarawak in Borneo for the orangutan experience. The money raised from those volunteers paying to stay, brought in more funds than ninety-five thousand tourists on orangutan holidays in the same area that year booked through travel agents."

The company is hoping by the end of 2012 to have hit the million pound donation mark which has gone towards animal conservation and developing the local community at different sites in Borneo.

As well as volunteer programmes there are also eco-tours available, and the variety of species is impressive - turtles in Malaysia; dolphins in Peru; Gorilla tours with Ian Redmond; Lions in South Africa. Mr Mauthoor added: "You'll find that more often than not a conservation project is built around a given species with the aim of protecting it.

"The tourism programme is designed around the project to drive much-needed funds to it. The volunteer or traveller also get an opportunity to personally contribute to projects  through activities such as husbandry, infrastructure building, rehabilitation and release of animals, habitat restoration as well as community involvement.

"This tourism is in its most compassionate form and you can use your travel to express your responsibility to an endangered species or habitat. This makes The Great Projects a seriously good way to travel and make a difference abroad." So if like BQ you're wondering what to do this summer and feel you'd like to contribute to conservation look into eco-tourism - you don't have to grow dreads and turn in Swampy to help wildlife and local communities who need our support.

Asha Tanna writes a conservation blog http://whogivesamonkeys.com/ which looks at primate-related issues. Asha is also a guest blogger for The Great Projects, so watch this space for more of Asha’s view on primates.

Leo Biddle - Head of Conservation blogs on his new challenge to build a new wildlife centre for orangutans in Borneo.

Over the last 6 years of coordinating The Great Projects orangutan volunteering programs in Borneo called The Great Orangutan Project,  I’ve been continually surprised at how much can be achieved with the donations and illimitable enthusiasm that each one of you, the volunteers, has brought for improving the conservation or animal welfare goals of each project.In 2007, for example, Aman (the great alpha male) was the world's first orangutan to receive a eye cataract operation at the Matang Wildlife Centre; in 2009 female orangutans Chiam & Ganti with their orangutan babies were released and live free in the rainforest. The orangutans Ali and Ting San spend many of their days in the jungle soon to be joined by orangutans Catherine, George and one day Doris. The baby orangutans Simangan and Lingga have against the odds survived their machete and gunshot wounds and I am confident that when older they too will return to the rainforest.

I am in no doubt that the contributions you, the orangutan volunteers, all have made financially, and in your collective efforts to improve Matang Wildlife Centre, has enabled us to save the lives of at least 10 of the orangutan now at Semenggoh & Matang; along with the rescue and survival of hundreds of other endangered or protected animals.

I’ve also been fortunate to see the significant development in the reach and impact of The Great Projects (aka WOX) to help endangered apes; from expanding our volunteering model to several other orangutan rehabilitation centres across Borneo as well as to working with animals abroad such as volunteer with gorillas and chimpanzees in Africa.

Despite the progress of our own organisation however one cannot ignore the fact that at the same time great ape populations have continued to diminish, perhaps none so alarmingly as that of the orangutan’s. Unfortunately experts aren’t making it up when they forecast their imminent extinction; likely to be the first of the great apes in recorded history. The sustained genocide against our furry cousins continues almost unabated. Their habitat is still being burnt and converted at a catastrophic rate; adults are still shot as agricultural pests, while the meat of mothers is sold openly on markets as their orphans languish in cruel captivity for human amusement or profit.

Sadly the situation is not significantly improving; I fear it is actually getting worse.  Given how low the orangutan numbers have fallen even minor levels of predation place the remnant populations under an ever increasing strain. If not for the existence of a handful of organisations working ceaselessly to safeguard fragments of habitat, or providing rescue & succour for the refugees of the forest, one wonders if there would still exist a sliver of hope for this ape’s continued existence.

Some of you will recall us saying that no matter how bad things were for orangutan within Sarawak, they were much worse in Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) where the vast majority of the remaining wild orangutan remain. Below Sarawak lies the province of Western Kalimantan where I have personally seen many orangutan being held illegally during my time in Borneo. Until very recently there has not been anywhere to take these animals to, coupled with a relative lack of NGO presence to represent them.

Last year a UK charity, famous for ending the practise of dancing bears in India - International Animal Rescue, began to establish a base in Western Kalimantan near a town called Ketapang to temporarily hold rescued orangutan.  They have already successfully rescued a number of orangutan; including one some of you might remember ‘Mely’ who’d been chained to a post in Sambas for 15 years.

International Animal Rescue are very focused on wanting to rehabilitate and return as many of the rescued orangutan to the wild as they can; as well as working to stem the flow of fresh ones from the wild and freeing the potentially hundreds of illegally held orangutan in the region. For me their entry into this area is one of the most needed and significant initiatives of the last decade in orangutan conservation and we have decided to throw the full weight of our orangutan project in support of them.

The reality is that we are only able to find so many volunteers for our working with animal projects each year and with our work in Sarawak, Sabah and in Eastern Kalimantan we are already overstretched. Consequently I have made the difficult decision to temporarily stop receiving volunteers at Matang in order to concentrate our efforts in Ketapang. Helping to build, from scratch, a new rehabilitation centre in Ketapang; on a project that both Natasha and I will be leading.

There obviously remains an immense amount of work that is still required at Matang and I do not pretend that rehabilitation and development at the centre will not stall whilst we send our volunteers elsewhere. However of all our project sites Matang is in the most robust position and we do feel that the local staff can maintain the centre as it is until our volunteers return. Eddie, Alvin & Richard will remain and we have set aside money for food and veterinary treatment as required for the animals. Conversely by sending our volunteer’s enthusiasm, donations and labour to Ketapang I genuinely believe we will achieve the maximum outcome possible for orangutan and if successful  be instrumental in saving the lives of one or more hundred orangutan.

Over the last 6 years I have never appealed to you all for more help, for us or the orangutan, as I already appreciate how much you’ve given and done. But this will potentially be the highest impact we can make in the shortest possible time and in my view is the most direct route to enabling people’s money or time help save as many orangutan lives possible.

If any of you are in a position to do so I would ask you to consider donating what you can to International Animal Rescue which will go towards building the new centre.

Donate to International Animal Rescue

If your colleagues or friends are interested in maintaining a planet with orangutan please try to convince them to support the effort, perhaps some of you might have time to arrange a talk about your own experiences during a coffee morning or pub quiz etc and donate any proceeds or raise awareness.

If you find you’ve been missing leeches and humidity you would be most welcome to join us in this latest and challenging project as we literally lay the foundations for many orangutan’s future. The project will be different to Matang or Samboja and very focused on building; not for the faint hearted but definitely for those seeking the frontline of orangutan conservation.  Click below for the new orangutan volunteer programme, and help us build a wildlife centre for orangutans in Borneo.

Build a Future for Orangutans

I hope that all of you are well and I hope that some of you will be able to help us in some way.I’m reminded that the future of the orangutan and other great apes will inevitably be decided within our lifetimes and that the only chance for a positive outcome will be decided by the actions of those that care for them. Hence I turn to those of you I know already care and thank you for your continued support.

My very best wishes to you all

Leo Biddle

Head of Conservation - The Great Projects

Hilary with Chiam, the orangutan

It saddens us to announce that Hilary (animal keeper at Matang Wildlife Centre) died on the 30th January 2011 at the age of 38 years. He was reported to have died of acute lung infection. It was a sudden death and a shock to his family and friends. He leaves his wife Christine, and 3 children aged 4, 9 and 11 years.  His wife and children is our first concern. Leo Biddle (Head of Conservation at The Great Projects) and Natasha Beckerson (Project Leader) at Matang Wildlife Centre, are with the family.

Hilary’s vast experience and immense passion for orangutan welfare made him an ideal candidate for working in orangutan conservation and was therefore taken on by the Great Orangutan Project in late 2007. Since joining the Great Orangutan Project, Hilary has been instrumental in the rehabilitation of young orangutans and release of orangutans at Matang Wildlife Centre. He has also helped train our orangutans by mimicking their behaviour in the wild and getting them to imitate him, for example by building nests in forests for orangutan to sleep in and by climbing the highest trees to forage for food. Hilary is an example to his community that working to protect orangutans is a positive and rewarding endeavor.  Many volunteers would have been left amazed by this man. We invite you to remember Hilary and share your stories, pictures and videos about him. Visit Facebook - Remembering Hilary Group.

You can also donate to a memorial fund. 100% of your donation will go to his family. Please make your donations to the Red Endangered Animal Connection Trust (REACT).

Donate to Hilary's Family Fund

Please note: If you are a UK tax payer, REACT can claim gift aid. REACT has committed to pledging all gift aid money to Hilary’s family. That’s an extra 28% of your donation helping the family.

15th January 2010: Over 400 students reading college or university courses in biolology, conservation, zoology, animal care and management in South East England swapped the cold, grey winter weather for tales of Borneo as they heard from Head of Conservation of The Great Projects and driving force behind the Great Orangutan Project in Borneo, Leo Biddle (seen in image).

On his first trip back to the UK for three years, Leo lead the Orangutan Masterclass Roadtrip to various colleges and universities where he both delighted and shocked students with facts about endangered orangutans and other species such as tigers, gorillas, elephants, chimps and sunbears, which The Great Projects helps support through conservation projects. According to the project, without intervention, orangutans could be extinct within the next 20 to 30 years.

Leo Biddle said of the experience: “It’s so important for me to visit colleges in order to raise awareness of the importance of conservation and the key trade problems which affect the existence of many species today. When I was younger and studying zoology I remember Jane Goodall visiting my college to talk about her experience in Tanzania and it sparked a fire in me. It suddenly brought the course alive and this is what I wanted to do for Oaklands College animal care students. I hope I have brought their studies to life today and in turn, sparked their interest in the conservation of endangered species.”

Tony Hawkins, Animal Care Manager at Oaklands College, commented: “We knew that today would be inspirational for our students and without exception they were fascinated by Leo’s experiences. He opened up their eyes to the real issues and the delicate balance between third world development and survival of animals in the wild.”

Laurence Stone, Lecturer at Kingston Maurward College commented "The students were both engaged and inspired by his (Leo's) talk and many have commented on how it served to further their interest in conservation".

Carol Knight, Curriculum area manager for animal care and veterinary nursing at Duchy College. "Just wanted to say a very big thank you for the talk on the Oranguntan project last week. It was very well received by the students at Duchy College Stoke Climsland and we had some very positive comments about how captivating it was".

The UCL Biological Society who were last on the Orangutan Masterclass roadtrip already want Leo Biddle back for an encore next year!

The Orangutan Masterclass roadtrip was a success in a way that The Great Projects was able to give back the knowledge we have garnered over years in the field and relate an insight into ape conservation deeper and more meaningful than the college text books. The Great Projects is seeking to partner with highly regarded educational bodies in US, UK, Europe and Australia to create mutually beneficial links, with a view to promoting a greater understanding and knowledge of animal conservation and welfare in key project sites such as Peru, Borneo, Africa, India and Malaysia. Contact Afzaal Mauthoor at email afzaal@w-o-x.com if you would like to explore how we can work together.