For young orangutan Monita, the past few months have brought big changes, including one of the most important milestones in her journey so far: her move from Forest School to the pre-release island.

For young orangutan Monita, the past few months have brought big changes, including one of the most important milestones in her journey so far: her move from Forest School to the pre-release island. 

Monita. Photo: BOS Foundation

In early June, Monita was moved to Bangamat pre-release island, accompanied by her friend Bumi. Before the transfer, both underwent thorough health checks by the veterinary team at Nyaru Menteng. In good health and with strong signs of independence, Monita was deemed ready for this critical phase of her rehabilitation. 

The move to a pre-release island is a major moment in an orangutan’s path back to the wild. Here, orangutans live in semi-wild conditions without direct human care, while their behavior is closely monitored by a dedicated team. For Monita, this means putting her forest skills to the test – from foraging and nest-building to navigating the social dynamics of island life.

Arriving on the island, Monita appeared cautious, taking her time to adjust to the new surroundings. This is typical during the first days. The sights, the smells, even the trees, are different from the Forest School environment she has been familiar with. But Monita is being closely observed. Every sign of progress is noted by BOS Foundation’s monitoring team, who will continue to follow Monitas activity and development daily. Her movements, interactions, and feeding choices will be tracked to help understand her readiness for full release into the forest. Pre-release islands like Bangamat offer young orangutans conditions as similar as possible to a wild release – a final, monitored test of their abilities to become fully self-reliant. 

Monita has always been a confident and curious individual. These qualities have served her well throughout Forest School, and now, they will be even more important as she begins this new challenge. The coming weeks and months will reveal much about how she adapts to island life. For now, the focus is on quiet observation and letting her settle into her new home.

We look forward to sharing more as Monita begins this important phase, one step closer to life in the wild.

Watch Monita’s journey to Bangmat Island here

First nervous steps. Photo: BOS Foundation