An Update from the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Project!

Posted by Kate Helliwell on 29th Apr 2022

We were thrilled to welcome back volunteers this month to the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Project! After a two years pause due to the pandemic, there is a lot to get stuck into at the sanctuary. We caught up with volunteer coordinator Kate to find out what the volunteers, orangutans and sun bears have been up to this month:

"As the first month back in Samboja comes to an end, we want to thank our dedicated volunteers and BOS Foundation for a great month. 

These last two weeks, the group have worked hard to finish the refurbishments for Sun bear Giono’s enclosure, and after final checks, he will be moving back into his enclosure soon. We installed a new low platform and shade cover in his indoor area, cemented in any holes or degraded areas, and cleaned and painted the interior to protect it from rust. One of our volunteers Alicia, also hand-painted Giono a sign for those extra homey touches!

In the outside of his enclosure, we dug two sand pits for him to rest in and added a water container that he can easily climb in. Giono has neurological problems and struggles with locomotion. Because of this, he is unable to climb well hence why his enclosure has incorporated only ground level. We're looking forward to updating you once he is back in his enclosure.

Our next project for the year is to build some higher large platforms in another sun bear enclosure. The bears in this enclosure are able to climb, so this will give them a nice resting space as an alternative to their indoor area. This week we started to move some of the reclaimed wood we will use to build our first platform next week. 

Our volunteers also continued to help with daily enrichments for the orangutans and sun bears. As the Ramadan celebrations are coming up here in Indonesia, the orangutans got an early gift to celebrate!

Part of the group helped make ‘pass the leaf parcels’ for the un-releasable orangutans on the islands. This fun enrichment idea consisted of hiding treats in layer after layer of leaves, each parcel getting bigger as they went. The orangutans then have to undo every layer, bit by bit, to reveal the treats as they go. After this, they had huge leaves to play with or hide under, which made for hours of fun!

Outside of the sanctuary, the group also enjoyed a trip to the Black River to see the proboscis monkeys. This week, we were extra lucky to see 8 different groups of monkeys, and many of them were very close up. Our group was very lucky indeed!" 

Feeling inspired? Head over to the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Project page to find out how you can make a difference to the lives of orangutans and sun bears in Borneo!

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