The orangutan Meryl, who has many “adoptive parents” among our supporters, has just been reintroduced to the rainforest, alongside five of her companions.
The door to the transport crate opens, and an orangutan runs out as fast as the wind. You barely have time to glimpse her face before she climbs high into a tree, as if she couldn’t wait to explore her new home.
The orangutan is Meryl – a charming orangutan who has lived at the Nyaru Menteng rehabilitation centre since 2015. For almost as long, she has been part of the Save the Orangutan Adoption Programme, with hundreds of supporters following her daily life and development, from a weak and malnourished youngster who had lost her mother, to an energetic trickster who knows what it takes to survive in the rainforest.
On 10th November, the big day arrived. Not just Meryl, but also Runtu, Bejo, Happy, Jengyos, and Blegi were about to start a new life in Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park (TNBBBR).
Read also: Introducing Jossy’s Baby.
A long travel deep into the rainforest
The veterinarians at the rehabilitation centre conducted thorough check-ups to ensure that the six orangutans were healthy and well-prepared before their encounter with nature.
The reintroduction team, consisting of staff from our Indonesian partner organisation, BOS Foundation, and authorities (BKSDA), had carefully planned all the logistics, as reintroducing six orangutans into a remote national park is no small task.
Given the length of the journey, regular stops were made every hour to ensure the orangutans were comfortable and had access to food and water. After the long car ride, the next leg of the journey commenced: a six-hour boat trip upstream. The six large transport crates were carefully loaded onto motorboats, and the voyage continued.
When the release team finally arrived at the site for the release, the first orangutans to be released were Jengyos and Bejo. As soon as their crates were opened, both orangutans rushed eagerly into the forest. Jengyos, full of energy, immediately began playing with Bejo on the ground, while Bejo, more focused on satisfying his hunger, sought out food.
Meryl and Blegi shared a special moment
Next, it was Meryl and Blegi’s turn to taste the freedom. Meryl immediately climbed a tree and began to curiously explore her surroundings. She tasted the light green leaves and relaxed in the treetops. Shortly after her release, the first truly promising interaction between Meryl and Blegi occurred. They coupled up in a tree – a very good sign!
The same happened when Runtu and Happy were released from their crates. Overall, all the orangutans seemed to thrive in their new environment. They quickly began exploring the area, found food, and built nests later that evening – a fantastic start to their new lives.
The monitoring team, which has a camp in the area, will continue to follow the orangutans during their early days in the rainforest to ensure they are adapting as expected. We look forward to sharing updates soon!
Would you like to help an orangutan back into the rainforest? Adopt here.
