Background Info
Orangutan University
This stage of life takes place on a number of islands that are the penultimate step in the rehabilitation of orphaned orangutans.
The islands
There are 5 river islands. Orangutans who have gone through the rehabilitation process end up here for at least 2 dry seasons and one wet season to make sure they can cope with the fluctuations in food availability. They are given supplemental food twice a day, but in the dry season we do not increase the amount. We prefer the orangutans to understand that there are lean times when they have to depend more on leaves– just as they would in the wild.
The islands are large and hold as many as 50 or more individuals. In the wild they would of course be more spread out because of the dispersal of food resources necessitate this. On the islands with the supplemental feedings they are in much closer proximity to one another. Some will become naturally more independent and solitary and others will remain in small groups, learning and exploring together, but they will also eventually start to go their own way– which is a good sign. They will be released in the wild in small groups as well, where they will have the choice to stay together or to venture out more on their own.
Security
The orangutans must all be sighted at least once a day by staff. Otherwise they are considered missing and an immediate search party goes out until the orangutan is found. This allows us to intervene if the orangutan is in trouble, injured or very ill.
It can take days on the larger islands to locate a missing orangutan so the teams must act quickly. There is 24/7 security for the islands, but the posts are on the opposite banks to ensure minimal interaction with humans.
Ready to leave
Presently there are a number of orangutans that have spent well over the required time on the islands and are well and truly ready for release back to the wild. For this we require additional funding, and we must wait for the wet season to return to give them the best possible chance when they are first released. We are hoping to release the next group in 2008. It is also crucial for us to release this group in order to make room on the islands for the next group who are ready to leave Forest School.
Choice of islands
We never displace any human settlements. We only choose uninhabited islands. These are usually owned by neighboring communities on the bank with whom we negotiate a fair fee for the use of the island and for their commitment to keep off it and to keep it safe. Some communities try to push their luck and ask ridiculously high prices and it is hard work for us to negotiate these, but it is essential we do not overpay or we will find ourselves spending much more than we can afford on these islands.
One of the costs associated with acquiring an island is the surveys to determine just how good it is likely to be for the orangutans, as well as how safe it is from intruders and from absconders. In some parts the river significantly dries up in dry season and if given the opportunity, some orangutans may wander off the island. To prevent this, we must build some fences and put in some security posts.
The new series Orangutan Island on Animal Planet looks at the inhabitants of Kaja Island, the first island acquired by Nyaru Menteng and home to some of our top orangutan students. These guys are fiercely independent and have no interest in humans. They are first on the list to be released to the wild. In order to do this, we need your help.
Visit Animal Planet’s Orangutan Island website
