The BOS Foundation has reintroduced more than 500 orangutans after successful rehabilitation. Reintroduction areas are protected rainforests, its suitability having been carefully assessed beforehand. Studies on the food supply and other animal species are prerequisites for a successful reintroduction.
Wild orangutan populations, and people need to be kept at a safe distance helping to prevent conflicts over food and so that transmission of possible infections can be avoided.
The reintroductions take place shortly after the rainy season, when most trees bear fruit.
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Orangutans on their way to reintroduction |
The reintroduction of rehabilitated orangutans is a logistical challenge with high costs because the areas are often far removed from the rehabilitation wards only reachable in part by helicopter.
The orangutans are reintroduced in small groups of maximum 10 individuals, so that they can initially support each other.
The orangutans spend their first night of freedom in a wooden box-cage to recover from the arduous journey and to get used to the sounds of the forest. Until the animals have independently gone in search of food,they are fed daily at the place of release.
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In the reintroduction areas, there are also research camps, in which research assistants observe the orangutans daily. The behavioural data of the animals are evaluated and serve as a basis for further reintroductions.
Despite the many encouraging successes, due to the rampant destruction of rainforests, the situation remains problematic. The capacity of the reintroduction areas Meratus and Sungai Wain in East Kalimantan is now exhausted.
Negotiations for new introduction into the wild areas with the provincial government are gruelling and progressing very slowly. BOS's scientific advisor is trying to find rainforest suitable for introduction into the wild as quickly as possible.
An alternative strategy is to buy from areas where the animals can temporarily live naturally. On six islands in the river near the station 150 Nyaru Menteng orangutans are living in the semi-wild in protected habitats. Human influence is reduced there as far as possible, a supplementary feeding of animals is essential.
Also the afforestation area Samboja Lestari offers many orangutans an introduction to the wild in a natural habitat.
BOS urgently needs resources to be able to secure more islands for the orangutans. |
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