Background Story

Papa is an adult male orangutan cheekpadder who is being cared for at the BOS Foundation Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rehabilitation Center. Papa was brought to Samboja Lestari on September 1, 1994 after being repatriated from Taiwan, where he had been illegally sold as a pet. Papa was around four years old when he arrived. Unfortunately, medical tests revealed that he had contracted Hepatitis B, meaning he needed to be kept away from other orangutans and housed in a special quarantine enclosure all by himself.

A miracle for Papa occurred in 2010 when a breakthrough in research showed that the strain of Hepatitis B that Papa had was actually naturally occurring in wild orangutan populations. The BOS Foundation team was thrilled to learn that Papa posed no health threat to other orangutans! This scientific discovery meant a big, wonderful change for Papa!

Papa Today

Papa is considered an “unreleasable” orangutan. Although his Hepatitis B will not harm other orangutans, he cannot be returned to the wild due to spending so many years in captivity. He simply does not have the necessary survival skills. The wonderful news is that after nearly 30 years alone in a cage, Papa now enjoys life on a manmade island with three female companions. Papa needs care for the rest of his life, which could be another 25 years!