BOS International PR coordinator 

At BOS, our ultimate goal is the release of healthy orangutans back into the wild - so it is always gratifying to be able to give our supporters good news about such an event - the first translocation programme of 2008.

Mama & Baby Pika

This took place when we recently transported 25 orangutans to freedom in an area of protected forest in Central Kalimantan. These orangutans were not part of our rehabilitation programme at Nyaru Menteng, but wild orangutans which had been rescued from areas of rainforest which had been devastated by the establishment oil-palm plantations, forcing them to go in search of food wherever it could be found.

They had been brought into Nyaru Menteng at various stages during the past year.  On arrival their condition was assessed and they were medically checked to ensure that they were fit enough to be relocated to their natural habitat at the earliest opportunity.

The area in which the release was to take place had to be carefully chosen. The one selected, a large valley,  about 70,000 hectares in size, is in the interior of Central Kalimantan, along the Banana River - an appropriate name for the release of a group of orangutans, although it was not, we believe, actually named after the fruit!

It’s an area which is safe from hunting, due to its inaccessibility. The rivers are full of big rocks, making it impossible for the local people to use boats, and the few landings visible at the mouth of the river look as though they had been deserted some years ago.  No large settlements are evident along the river banks, and there are no villages close by.  It is also within the boundaries of the Heart of Borneo, which would offer an increased opportunity for conservation management.

Since these orangutans had not been part of our rehabilitation programme, it wasn’t necessary for the area in which they were released to be free of a wild population.  This part of Central Kalimantan has always been considered to be well within the historical range of orangutans, and although there are still a few of them in the forests here, there are no substantial breeding populations. It’s estimated that one orangutan per square kilometre, maybe even more, could easily be supported here, since the lowland forests along the Banana River would be likely to provide a fair amount of food, and the network of small rivers indicates the existence of a number of fruiting trees.

The group of orangutans which left Nyaru Menteng on that morning in June consisted of 14 males - nine adults and five sub-adults, and 15 females, one of which was Pika, a baby of two-and-a-half years, with her mother, Mama Pika.  They were accompanied by Lone Droscher Nielsen, a paramedic, two orangutan caretakers, a communications officer, a doctor, two members of a BBC camera crew and two representatives of the BKSDA (Agency for Conservation of Natural Resources).

For the first leg of their journey, the orangutans were settled into their individual cages and flown by Cessna, eight at a time, from the nearby Palangka Raya airport to a transit point, IndOmUro Kecana - the operation taking two days to complete.  Here they were put into large individual holding cages, similar to the ones in which they had been kept at the Centre.  They seemed to have taken their first flight well in their stride - despite being awake during the entire 50-minute trip - and spent the next day resting, whilst the translocation team were helicoptered to the release site to co-ordinate activities in the field.

On the following day, the first five orangutans were transferred to their transit cages for the 30-minute helicopter flight to the release site. Any change in weather, such as strong winds or rain, could result in disruption to the schedule, and some low, dense, ground fog did indeed delay their departure. At around 11.00 am, however, the helicopter finally took off, four cages of precious cargo suspended beneath it.  Mama Pika and her baby were amongst this group, which also included M Otong, Yoyon and Ardi.

The second group - Keray, Nelly, Mustapa and Difta - also had their departure delayed, this time by a heavy downpour, and had to wait until 3.00 pm for their flight.

“It must have been slightly petrifying for these wild animals to wake up hanging under a helicopter, high over the canopy of their new home,” says Lone. “Though they are in transit cages and cannot see much, they certainly must feel the movement and hear the noise of the helicopter.  However, when the cage is opened, they rush out as if nothing has happened, and quickly climb into the nearest tree.  Some of them are still slightly drugged, and might stagger around a bit before disappearing into the forest, but one thing is for sure - all of them will turn around, once in safety, and have a look at us, as if they want to thank us for giving them this second chance in life.”

Lone & one of the first to be released

Good weather the following day meant that Devsing, Chelsea, Arimbi, Chris, Jimmy and Pangit were able to leave on schedule, at around 9.00 am, followed at noon by Senny, Dion, Siwi, Bojeng and Leli.

On the final day, the weather turned again, but by 11.00 am, the final four orangutans, Mapak, Yanti, Odah and Gromik, also found themselves on their way to freedom.

At a future date, field researchers and primatologists will carry out a nest survey, which will provide information on how widely the newly released orangutans have spread out, living as nature intended, and making their valuable contribution to both the ecosystem of the rainforests and the survival of their species.

“Everyone at Nyaru Menteng is so very happy to be able to give these orangutans another chance in life,” Lone says (pictured above), “and you can be sure that we’ll continue to save the lives of orangutans as long as we are able to.”

Founded by Lone Droscher-Nielsen, Nyaru Menteng is home to 670 orangutans, ranging in age from a few months to about 8 years, where they are cared for and rehabilitated to prepare them for their ultimate release into the wild.

In February this year, the Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) of the Forestry Department in Indonesia, confiscated Frengky (pictured below) from the area of Singkawang, on the north coast of West Kalimantan.

Within two months, another young orangutan, Thomas, was rescued from Sintang, also in the northern part of West Kalimantan province. They were temporarily homed in transit cages in Pontianak, waiting for an opportunity to be transferred to a rehabilitation centre.

It wasn’t long before a third orangutan, Caleb, was confiscated - this time in Ketapang, a small town in the southern part of the province, about seven hours’ journey, by boat, from Pontianak city. He was placed in the Yayasan Palung’s transit centre in Ketapang, until he too could be rehomed.

No such facilities exist in West Kalimantan, and all the other orangutan rehabilitation centres in Central and East Kalimantan were all full at the time. In May, however, the Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP), which assists the BKSDA in caring for captive orangutans in West Kalimantan, heard that Nyaru Menteng would be able to accommodate these youngsters at the end of that month.

Nyaru Menteng is located in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan province. There is no road link between this area and West Kalimantan - nor is there a direct air link - so the orangutans would have to be flown via Jakarta. In the space of a day, COP had made arrangements with Sriwijaya Air and cargo to transport the orangutans to Palangka Raya, and also to transfer Caleb by boat from Ketapang. He joined Frengky and Thomas in BKSDA’s transit cages in Pontianak that night, to await the journey to Palangka Raya the following morning. At 7.00 am the three orangutans were at the airport, ready for loading. The plane left at 8.15 am and arrived in Jakarta at about 10.00 am. After a 30-minute wait for the next plane, the orangutans flew from Jakarta to Palangka Raya, arriving at about 12 noon.

All three orangutans had travelled well and were fine. Thomas looked a little nervous, but when they were finally put together in their big quarantine cage, they were obviously delighted to be together. Within minutes they were back to being normal little orangutans - playing, hanging, biting each other - and eating!

BOS is delighted to be able to tell you that Hardi Baktiantoro, of Centre for Orangutan Protection has been shortlisted for an award - “Grassroots Campaigner of the Year”.

Well done Hardi!!

The shortlist is revealed today for the third Observer ethical awards, supported by ecological cleaning product manufacturer, Ecover. The announcement follows the success of the 2006 and 2007 awards, which saw Make Poverty History win Campaign of the Year and Al Gore win Campaigner of the Year. The awards received thousands of entries. The entrants were judged by a combination of reader votes and by a celebrity panel, which included Colin Firth, Elle Macpherson and Natalie Imbruglia. The winners will be announced at an award ceremony in London on June 5.

The awards are instrumental in progressing ethical thinking and ideas in the UK. The aim is to reward those pioneering a sustainable future for the country and to recognise the very best products, innovations and schemes that make living ethically achievable. The awards will also bring to light those who give ethical living a mainstream and practical appeal.
Categories voted by Observer Readers:
Celebrity Campaigner of the Year
High Fearnley-Whittingstall
George Monbiot
Jamie Oliver
Grassroots Campaigner of the Year
Tricia Barnett
Hardi Baktiantoro
Anna Heywood
Politician of the Year
Caroline Lucas
David Cameron
Ken Livingstone
Best Supermarket/On-line Retailer Initiative of the Year, sponsored by New Consumer magazine
Natural Collection (for their on-line store)
Abel&Cole (for their organic, locally sourced veg box scheme)
Traidcraft (for their commitment to fairtrade)
Best Local Retailer
The Better Food Company
Entrading
Warren Evans
Categories voted by panel of judges:
Conservation project of the Year, sponsored by Aveda
COAST: Community of Arran Seabed Trust
St Jude’s Park Public Awareness Project
Camley Street Natural Park
The Do-it-Yourself Award
Martin Peck
Carshalton Grove Eco-Renovation Demonstation Project
Ecover Ethical Kids Award
Isle of Man Tree Planting Project
Balfour Junior School
Munnaan Mohammed
The Jupiter Big Idea Award
EWGECO
Moxia Energy
USBCELL
Unpackaged
Ethical Business of the Year, sponsored by Triodos Bank
walkit.com limited
Divine Chocolate Ltd
Equal Exchange
Fashion Product or Accessory of the Year
Izzy Lane
From Somewhere
Finisterre

BOS Clinic Nyaru Menteng, 06 February 2008. Around a month ago the new isolation area for orangutans became functional. This area which measures 5 x 5 metres was constructed at the BOS clinic within the Nyaru Menteng arboretum. It was built as an isolation area for sick orangutans during their period of treatment.

Previously, sick orangutans were isolated within the laboratory and paramedic clinic. This smaller area was often unable to accommodate orangutans undergoing care. At times there could be tens of orangutans entering isolation at one time. As a result, the process of treatment and rehabilitation was often hampered. Orangutans were made anxious and stressed by the commotion of people continuously passing back and forth. Although it was cleaned everyday in an effort to maintain hygiene standards, the clinic often became dirty due to the mess left by all the orangutans. Consequently it wasn’t just the orangutans who did not feel comfortable, but the technicians and babysitters too.

So management at BOS Nyaru Menteng decided to construct the new isolation area with the objective of providing a more satisfactory health service for the orangutans. It is hoped that this comfortable and less crowded area will maximise efforts to restore orangutans back to good health. This will also cater towards making the area more comfortable for the babysitters who care for these sick orangutans. In terms of support facilities, the isolation area is equipped with a set of infusion instruments, oxygen tanks, bed covers, and small pens among other things. There is also a broad open space which is shaded by Acacia and Casuarina trees, providing a cool and comfortable place for the orangutans to relax. Hopefully the presence of this new isolation area will support the success of orangutan rehabilitation activities in BOS Nyaru Menteng.

[BOS NYARU MENTENG | Untung]

Dominic Monaghan, well known for his portrayal of “Merry” Brandybuck in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Charlie in the ABC television series, Lost, also counts photography as one of his talents. He’s currently holding an exhibition of some of his favourite works in the Hamilton-Selway Fine Art Gallery, West Hollywood, in California.

Entitled Happy Accidents, this “photographic commentary” combines two of Dominic Monaghan’s passions in life – photography and nature. He’s a fervent wildlife enthusiast, with a keen interest in orangutans and the work being done at our Nyaru Menteng sanctuary in East Kalimantan, Borneo. His concern for the everyday survival of wildlife has led him to pledge 20% of the sales of his photographic exhibition to BOS, to help us in our mission to rescue, rehabilitate and release back into the wild the Borneo orangutans so vital to the preservation of the species.

We are extremely grateful to Dominic for his interest in BOS and his support for our work.

Happy Accidents runs from March 14-27

Hamilton-Selway Fine Art Gallery

8678 Melrose Ave

West Hollywood

CA 90069

310-657-1711

www.hamilton-selway.com

I approached Samboja Lodge Manager Koes Sardjono, who was busy setting up a laptop computer not far from my table.
“Oh, that,” he said. “The enclosures that are next to the lodge are a place to quarantine Borneo orangutans that the Forestry Department gives to theBOS Foundation. The tires and ropes are for Orangutan Island.”

Koes said Orangutan Island is set aside for disabled orangutans and those who have been kept by people. The ropes and tires are used as an arena for orangutans to learn while playing in the wild.

While listening to Koes’s explanation, I took the binoculars from the table that are available especially for guests. I pointed the binoculars at the enclosure, where I could see orangutans hanging. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a closer look at the orangutans on the island. Neither cottage guests nor anyone else is allowed to get close to the enclosures and Orangutan Island.

However, we could walk around Samboja Lestari to join a tree-planting. Besides that, we could visit the organic garden or the seed beds. And we could go bird-watching, which never fails to captivate.

Samboja Lestari was just a grassy island before, unproductive and infertile. Then the area was reforested again. Since the middle of 2006, more than 740 species of trees have been planted there, not including the special collection in the arboretum. The formerly open land has begun to fill up with trees, such as meranti, agathis, and ulin, and also fruits, including durian, rambutan and mango. So it’s not surprising that lots of wild birds have begun to turn up.
 
Besides serving as a refuge for wild animals, this area has an arboretum of native Kalimantan plants. The arboretum occupies an area of 159 hectares, located in the middle of Sambojo Lestari, with some 5,000 species and subspecies of Kalimantan plants.
 
Also in Samboja Lestari is a protected area for sunbears (Helarctos malayanus) which are being reintroduced to the forest. These fruit-eating animals cared for at Samboja Lestari were originally domestic animals. Some were seized in various places by conservation officers, mostly in cities in Java, and others were relinquished by their owners.

I felt eager to join the “Save Our Nature” program the next day. Meanwhile, I watched birds flash through the trees around Samboja Lodge. The birds were mostly Yellow-vented Bulbuls (Pycnonotus goiavier) and Sooty-headed Bulbuls (Pycnonotus aurigaster).

I was lucky that I could meet with two BOS staff members, Abrar Ramland and Satriyo. They have succeeded in photographing the wild animals, including birds, that are seen at Samboja Lodge. Satriyo told me in detail about several species he has captured with his camera. Besides the Yellow-vented Bulbul, he has photographed the White-Bellied Sea Eagle, Rufous-tailed Tailorbird, Oriental Magpie Robin, Crimson Sunbird, White-breasted Waterhen and Sunda Frogmouth.
Satisfied to have learned about birds and orangutans, I decided to enjoy the atmosphere of the cottage and look around the upper deck, so I headed for the Tower King Suite lobby. Before you get there, you can sit for a moment to enjoy a view of the greenery. There is a place to sit and a collection of books. So if you want to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee, this is just the right place.
When I arrived at the Tower King Suite, I hurried to the courtyard or lobby. Wow! Looking around the Samboja lodge from above is truly beautiful. But I noticed a little tremor. I thought it was an earthquake. It turns out the the Samboja Lodge building was deliberately built flexible.
From afternoon until evening, in this place far from the bustling city, there is a feeling I’ve almost never experienced where I live in Bogor city, never mind in Jakarta. The voices of frogs sounded all around Samboja Lodge starting at 4 o’clock. As they day turned dark and evening began, the song of the frogs became strident. They sang all night until morning.
The long-awaited day arrived. That morning I went to the “Save Our Nature” program for three hours. This program is intended for the general public, with a fee of 600,000 to 700,000 rupiah per person Monday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday the fee is 600,000. Participants under five years old are free, and those between 6 and 12 years of age get a 50 percent disount. For those who are staying at Samboja Lodge, the charge is $20 US (about 187,000 rupiah) per person.
My watch showed 7:00. Together with guests from the other cottages, we set out in a small bus. We were taken to look at the tree-planting sites in Samboja Lestari. There were hoes and seedlings available, such as durian, lai, and other fruit trues to be planted by program participants.
After planting we went to the organic garden. Unfortunately, the vegetables had just been harvested, so there was nothing for us to pick.
Our journey continued to the seed bed for fruits and flowers. That was the most interesing, in my opinion. There are more than 750 kinds of woods, fruits, decorative plants, medicinals, and orchids, gathered during expeditions to   various places in Kalimantan and planted and cultivated in the Samboja Lestari seed bed.
Besides that, in the seedling area are two snakes – found and handed over by the local people. The two snakes, a king cobra and a python, were living in the seedling area because the right place to release them had not yet been determined.
Not far from the seedling areas is a local scrapwood carving enterprise. The work is done by local people trained at Sambja Lestari. They make rocking chairs, tissue, name cards, and wall decorations. There are orangutan and Dayak motifs.
Two days was not enough to enjoy the beauty of Samboja Lestaria and the fascinating “Save Our Nature” program, because I didn’t have time to go out looking for nighttime animals and birds. One day I’ll return to see the trees I planted there!
(Writer Irma Dana, Bogor.)

Published in the Indonesian magazine “Tempo” mid December

Zoos and Animal Centres in foreign countries like Europe, Australia and even Africa are very far advanced with animal welfare.  As the largest centre for reintroduction in the world BOS Nyaru Menteng endeavours to emulate this and will continue its efforts to ensure the prosperity of the orangutans who are in the process of recovery and rehabilitation.

Their efforts are focused on the facilities in the quarantine and socialization cages as the majority of these, especially in the BOS clinic in Nyaru Menteng, are in a condition which may cause concern. The cages have housed many orang-utans over the years and have become dilapidated due to wear and tear and the activities of the inhabitants. They have now become difficult to maintain and repair and as the management at BOS were not satisfied with their condition, the decision was made to replace both these cages and those used by the teenage orang-utans which were too small.

With the donation from WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) new cages are currently being built in Mid-Way-House (MWH) 2. At the moment the work on the new cages has been brought to a temporary halt awaiting materials to be delivered which will take several trips to arrive.

Interestingly the construction of the cages is being carried out by BOS personnel in Nyaru Mentang with driver Suripno and technician Kusmosir who has the specialist knowledge required for this project. Prior to this, instructions and advice were provided for one month by John Murray from Melbourne Zoo Australia.

Everyday Surip and Mosir work extra hard designing and explaining the plans. When we met them at the work location, we could see both of them were currently preparing materials for the cages. They emphasized that from the beginning this project has been the main focus for MWH 2.

From the designs it can be seen that the new cages are taller and wider than those currently in use. New materials are being used of a higher quality and galvanized to provide anti rust properties with a guarantee of strength and durability. With all of these improvements it is hoped that current and future orangutans will have a much more comfortable life. Enjoy your work with our friends at BOS Nyaru Menteng, written by Untung Kom, BOS Nyaru Menteng.

Translated by Lauren Carter
Edited by Martyn Dalby
 

The president said that conserving the primate would also help protect the forest from deforestation and store greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change.

Under the program, which lasts until 2017, the carbon dioxide (CO2) stored through avoided forest deforestation could be traded on the carbon market and the money could then be used to conserve orangutans and boost the country’s economy, the president said.

“The core target of this plan of action is to stabilize orangutans and their habitat from now until 2017,” Yudhoyono said on the sidelines of the international climate change conference in Bali.

“By saving, regenerating and sustainably managing the forests, we are also doing our part in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, while contributing to the economic development of Indonesia,”

Over the last 35 years, the country has lost about 50,000 orangutans due to their shrinking habitat as well as illegal trafficking. Experts say the species will vanish by 2050 if greater action is not taken to protect the primate.

“I can think of no reason to ignore such compelling evidence of the importance of saving our forests…forests lost will not only kill the rich biodiversity, but also become the source of 20 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions,” the president said.

The national action plan for conserving orangutans consists four strategies namely orangutan conservation management, policies, partnership development as well as funding strategy.

The Nature Conservancy, as  the world’s leading conservation organization, has pledged US$1 millions in aid to support the action plan.

“As much as one million hectares of the orangutan habitat, scheduled for conversion to palm oil plantations, will be saved through implementation of the action plan,” said Erik Meijaard, senior scientist with the Conservancy.

“This could lead to 9,800 orangutans being saved and prevent 700 million tons of carbon from being released.”

Meijaard, who is also a science advisor for orangutan conservation science program (OCSP), said the world’s emerging carbon market would make conservation financially viable.

“If payments for avoided deforestation become an official mechanism in the global climate agreements, then buyers will likely compensate Indonesia for its forest protection.
Protecting orangutans will then lead to increased economic development in the country. Such a triple-win situation is not a dream. With some political will, it can soon be reality.”

The United States has said that it will commit to $2.8 million in new funds to support biodiversity and climate change activities in Indonesia, including the orangutan habitat conservation.

The Forestry Ministry data reveals there are currently over 6,650 Sumatran orangutans and 55,000 Borneo orangutans in the wild.

The Indonesian government has long come under pressure from the international community to protect orangutan species and prevent rampant trafficking of the primates.

To make it worse, forest fires and land clearing have been an added threat to the orangutan population.

The ministry says deforestation has directly and indirectly led to the death of 3,000 orangutans per year since the 1970s. (Adianto P. Simamora)

Source: The Jakarta Post - http://www.thejakartapost.com/climate/index.php?menu=stories&detail=132