Back

Meet the Feb 2013 BOS Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Release Candidates

Building on previous success in releasing 44 Central Kalimantan orangutans during 2012 and in commemoration of Valentine’s Day 2013, the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation is releasing 20 more orangutans from Nyaru Menteng as a tribute of love and dedication for the continuing conservation efforts of orangutans and their habitat.

On February 13, 14, and 15, 2013, five semi-wild and 15 rehabilitated orangutans depart from the Central Kalimantan Orangutan Reintroduction Program at Nyaru Menteng to pre-selected release points in Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.

Please make a tax-deductible contribution to BOS Nyaru Menteng today! Thank You for your support!

FIVE SEMI-WILDS

Semi-wilds are orangutans who have still retained their true nature at the time of rescue and have consistently showed that they have learned adequate forest skills.

RACHMAD

In November 2006, a team from the BOS Foundation and the Central Kalimantan Conservation and Natural Resource Authority (BKSDA) successfully rescued a young male orangutan who was separated from his mother in an oil palm plantation in Kotawaringin Timur Regency. Rachmad arrived at Nyaru Menteng on November 15, 2006. He was approximately 2.5 – 3 years old and weighed only 5 kg.

Now a healthy 9 year old weighing 38.5 kg, Rachmad has grown into a strong orangutan with piercing eyes and long light brown hair. Soon, this handsome teenager will return to his true home in the beautiful conservation forest of Bukit Batikap.

DARSI

Mother-less, dirty, and looking miserable, a young female orangutan of approximately 4 - 4.5 years old was rescued from an oil palm plantation in Kotawaringin Timur Regency and brought to Nyaru Menteng on December 11, 2006. Her name is Darsi.

Darsi is now 13 years old, weighs 47.8 kg, and has turned into a beautiful orangutan with long, thick dark brown hair and a dark face.

Six years in the rehabilitation center has given Darsi the chance to develop her independence as an orangutan. She makes kiss squeak sounds whenever she feels disturbed or when a human approaches her. Soon, Darsi will be truly independent when she and her friends are released into the conservation forest of Bukit Batikap.

MEXA

Mexa was consfiscated from an employee of an oil palm plantation in Kotawaringin Timur Regency. The female orangutan was found in a very disturbing condition restrained by a chain secured around her neck. Arriving at Nyaru Menteng on August 6, 2006, she weighed 31 kg and was estimated to be around 15 years old.

When she first arrived, the scar from being chained was still clearly visible on her neck. However, Mexa still possessed her wild nature and never once showed dependency on humans. Nevertheless, due to her poor condition, she had to be quarantined for a while to undergo intensive treatment.

Now Mexa is 22 years old and weighs 43 kg with long hair and black skin. She remains to be a wild and active orangutan. Even in an enclosure, Mexa makes kiss squeak sounds and moves around agitatedly whenever someone approaches her enclosure, indicating that she is not happy to see humans around. Mexa is counting the days until she is released in the forest!

KLOWOR

Klowor was consfiscated from a resident of Pundu Village on February 20, 2005. This young male orangutan was approximately 3 – 3.5 years old when he first arrived at Nyaru Menteng.

Klowor is an active orangutan! Whenever he hears his orangutan friends pounding their enclosures, he will do the same, pounding his enclosure. He also loves to teasingly poke any technician cleaning his enclosure. Distinctive large front teeth, thin hair and beard, Klowor is easily recognised by the technicians.

After seven fun years at the rehabilitation center, 11 year-old Klowor now weighs 37.1 kg and is ready to return home to the real forest!

EDWAN

Rescued from an oil palm plantation in Antang Kalang Village in Kotawaringin Timur Regency, this young male orangutan of 4 – 4.5 years old still retained his wild nature. He was taken to Nyaru Menteng on August 27, 2007 and was named Edwan.

Edwan is now 9 years old and weighs 32 kg. The short-haired teenager has become a handsome, independent and active orangutan. Together with some of his friends, he will soon be able to reclaim his righful freedom in Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.

FIFTEEN REHABILITANTS

Rehabilitants are orangutans who were rescued at a very young age and/or had been kept by humans as pets. These orangutans did not have or had lost most of the necessary skills to survive independently in the forest and thus must go through an intensive rehabilitation process (Forest School and the final pre-release stage on an island/halfway forest), which can take up to 7 years on average.

LESTA & LEWIS

Lesta is a female orangutan who was confiscated from a resident of Palangka Raya on December 17, 1999. When she first arrived at Nyaru Menteng Lesta was approximately 4 – 4.5 years old and weighed 12 kg.

Living on Kaja Island, one of the pre-release Islands, Lesta is not dominant, but among other females she is socially at the top of the hierarchy and has a lot of experience. Her extensive travel range when exploring the island has made many male orangutans on the island become attracted to her.

After almost 13 years living in the rehabilitation center, Lesta who is now 18 years old has delivered three babies. One of them is Lewis, her third offspring born on Kaja Island on March 16, 2011. One year old Lewis still spends his days in his mother’s arms and Lesta is often seen feeding him with fruits. Both of them are waiting for the day when they will make their final homecoming trip together to the forest of Bukit Batikap.

DAGOY & DEBBY

Dagoy is a female orangutan who was confiscated from a resident of Kasongan, Katingan Regency. When she arrived at Nyaru Menteng on March 8, 2000, Dagoy was approximately 12 years old. Together with other orangutans her age, Dagoy lived within one of our socialisation enclosures. Two years later in February 2002, she was moved to Kaja Island, which is the last phase of our orangutan rehabilitation process.

The beautiful and independent Dagoy is now 24 years old and weighs 38.8 kg. She is a dominant orangutan among other females. With her dark brown hair and a bone growth on her left shoulder that she’s had since birth, Dagoy can easily be recognised by the technicians.

In August 2004, Dagoy delivered her first son, Terusan. She then gave birth to daughter Debby, her second baby on July 16, 2009. Dagoy and Debby will soon join Terusan who was released back in early November 2012 in Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest. We will watch with interest to see if Terusan interacts with his Mum in the forest!

MARKISA & ULI

Markisa, then only 4 years old, arrived at Nyaru Menteng on November 20, 2000, after being confiscated from a resident of Palangka Raya.

After 12 years living in the rehabilitation center, Markisa has delivered two babies on Kaja Island. Both are baby girls; her elder daughter, Manggo, is already an independent orangutan, while one year-old Uli is still always in Markisa’s loving arms.

Even though she grew up in the rehabilitation center, Markisa is a good mother to her infants. She is also well-known for being an active orangutan who loves to explore the forest, indicating that Markisa is ready to live in a real forest. She is now 17 years old with dark brown hair and weighs 38.9 kg. Markisa and her two beloved daughters, Manggo and Uli, are ready to make a final journey to their new home, Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.

CENTIL & ROSS

On February 26, 2002, a female orangutan named Centil from Pontianak, West Kalimantan arrived in Palangka Raya. Confiscated by the West Kalimantan Conservation and Natural Resources Authority (BKSDA) she was estimated to be 6 – 6.5 years old. Health check results showed that Centil was healthy, thus she could immediately commence the rehabilitation process at Nyaru Menteng.

On October 10, 2005, Centil who has long dark brown hair and dark face was moved to Bangamat Island. She is an active orangutan who loves exploring the forest and playing by the river.

On November 27, 2009, Centil delivered her second baby, a female orangutan named Ross. Before that, Centil had had a son, Edwin. Unfortunately Edwin died from illness. Learning from that bitter experience, Centil is now very protective over her daughter and is often seen lovingly sharing her food with her. Centil is now 17 years old, weighs 32.9 kg. Together with Ross, they are soon going home!

DANUR

Danur was confiscated from a resident of Palangka Raya when he was 4 – 4.5 years old and weighed 17 kg. On August 23, 2000 he arrived at Nyaru Menteng to undergo intensive care and rehabilitation.

At 17 years of age, Danur is a big adult male who weighs 82.2 kg. His sheer size is probably the main reason for his dominance. Not only that, Danur is also keen on playing in the water! He often plays in the shallow part of the river. This is a very unique fact as many studies show that orangutans don’t like the water very much. However, Danur proves otherwise.

Danur’s determination to “release himself” from Bangamat Island places him as a top candidate for reintroduction into Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.

ISIS

After being confiscated from a resident of Palangka Raya on February 8, 2003, Isis who was approximately 6.5 – 7 years old and weighed 34 kg immediately entered our rehabilitation facility at Nyaru Menteng.

Isis is now 16 years old and weighs 45.4 kg. This female orangutan with a tall posture is very smart and creative! Her favorite activity is to take flight from the pre-release Island using a pole to navigate her way across the water. She can soon have as many adventures as as she likes when she returns to her true home in the wilderness of Bukit Batikap!

MANGGO

Manggo is Markisa’s first daughter, born on Kaja Island on June 9, 2005. Naturally, she has adapted to life in the forest of Kaja Island which she learned from the best teacher, her own mother.

Manggo has mastered the skills to build nests, recognise natural predators, and forage for food. In addition, her great curiousity prompts her to always actively explore the forest on Kaja Island. She is now a beautiful teenager at 7 years of age, weighs 29.7 kg, and has long, thick bright brown hair. While she is not a dominant orangutan, her forest skills prove that she is ready to embrace true freedom in the conservation forest of Bukit Batikap.

JAMES

James was confiscated by the Central Kalimantan Conservation and Natural Resources Authority (BKSDA) from a resident of Sampit, Kotawaringin Timur Regency on August 1, 2004. He was 5 – 5.5 years old. Since then, he has been living at Nyaru Menteng.

He is now 14 years old and weighs 76 kg, a dashing orangutan with wide cheekpads that make him look very gallant. In the rehabilitation center James is quite friendly towards the technicians. Once in a while he playfully pokes the technicians cleaning or passing by his enclosure.

Even so, he has started to exhibit signs of dominancy. James is active and whenever he feels disturbed, he will make loud kiss squeak sounds while swinging and spinning on the rubber ropes in his enclosure. Soon James will be released. Even though we feel sad to part with him, we find comfort in knowing that James will be able to live as his dominant self in his own territory in Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.

MOGOK

Mogok is a male orangutan who was confiscated from a villager of Buntut Bali in Katingan Regency. He arrived at Nyaru Menteng on December 6, 2002 and was estimated to be 2 – 2.5 years old.

Mogok is now a young adult of 13 years old and weighs 49.3 kg. The brown-haired lad has started to grow a mustache and beautiful cheekpads. He looks very handsome!

He is also a remarkable explorer. During his time on Palas Island he is often seen exploring and eating wild fruits together with a female orangutan named Bonita.

Mogok has graduated from the pre-release island and is ready to move to his real home in Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.

ALIBABA

Alibaba had been living as a pet of a resident of Tumbang Samba Village, Katingan Regency for a few months before being finally rescued. The 2 year-old male orangutan was found in an upsetting condition with the tip of his left ring finger dismembered.

After 10 years at the rehabilitation center, Alibaba is now an independent, tough young man, who no longer feels comfortable around humans. Now 12 years old, at 50 kg, he looks very handsome with bright brown hair and a tiny crest of hair on his head. Soon it will be homecoming time for Alibaba as he journeys to the natural rainforest of Bukit Batikap.

LUPITA

After two weeks of being held captive by a resident of Buntok, South Barito Regency, on October 5, 2003, Lupita, a female orangutan of 3.5 – 4 years of age was confiscated and taken to Nyaru Menteng.

Nine years living in the rehabilitation center, the gorgeous Lupita has long thick hair and an oval face She is known as an active and sociable forest explorer. Now at 13 years old, weighing 26.4 kg, she will regain her true freedom as an orangutan, in Bukit Batikap.