The First Orangutan Release Of 2021 - 10 Orangutans Back In The Wild!

Posted by Andrew Starbuck on 23rd Feb 2021

After a long and frustrating year of being unable to release orangutans due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) have undertaken their first release of 2021!

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the BOSF team, in collaboration with the Central and East Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agencies, 10 orangutans from the Nyaru Menteng and Samboja Lestari rehabilitation centres have been released back into their rightful home - the wild and protected forests of Bukit Batikap and Kehje Sewen.

So, who were the lucky 10 to be released? Take a look at the video below to find out, and if you have volunteered at either sanctuary, you may even recognise a face or two!

Candidates for Release

Each of these orangutans has a unique back story, though sadly most of them were rescued from captivity at a very young age and arrived at the sanctuaries in poor health. After a lengthy rehabilitation process, they progressed through the various stages and showed they were capable of an independent life in the wild. This includes mother and baby pair Disha and Deijo, and also Britney and Nenuah who were rescued from Bali and Thailand, making their journey back to the wild all the more incredible. All of the orangutans at one point in their lives have been at risk due to human activity, but now they are back in the forests of Borneo, where they belong!

Releasing orangutans is a difficult, and at times dangerous task, but see how their journey unfolded in the following videos:

Stage 1: The First Day Of The Rest Of Their Lives

Stage 2: A New Route Home

Stage 3: Home At Last!

Whilst it has been a very tough year, we now have a light at the end of the tunnel, and we are so proud and excited to see BOSF continue their fantastic efforts to release as many orangutans back into the wild as possible.

This huge achievement is the 36^th orangutan release from the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Sanctuary and the 24^th release from Samboja Lestari, and we look forward to supporting BOSF in their work for many years to come!

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