Release Candidate Profiles for the 18th Orangutan Release from BOS Samboja Lestari
24 June, 2019 — Text by the BOS Foundation Communications Team
The BOS Foundation is preparing to release four more orangutans from the Samboja Lestari facility to the Kehje Sewen Release Forest in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Here are profiles of the lucky release candidates! Good luck, everyone!
Petak arrived at BOS Foundation’s Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre on 9 August 1998, at the age of two. She had been illegally kept as a pet by a local resident in the Sebulu area, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan. Upon arriving at Samboja Lestari, Petak was quarantined for a while before she could begin the rehabilitation process in Forest School.
After graduating from Forest School in 2009, Petak advanced to the pre-release stage of rehabilitation and joined other orangutans on Samboja Lestari’s man-made Islands 3 and 4. During her time on the islands, Petak grew to become an independent orangutan with a caring, maternal nature. She was often observed playing with mother-infant pair, Merlin and Marlon.
Equipped with the skills she has acquired from her years of rehabilitation, 22-year-old Petak is now ready to enjoy living wild and free in the Kehje Sewen Forest.
Komo was rescued from a local resident of Sangkulirang District, East Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan, on 24 September 2002. At the time, he was around four years old and had been kept in captivity for almost a year. At Samboja Lestari, Komo immediately underwent a period of quarantine and later joined other orangutans his age in Forest School to begin the rehabilitation process.
During rehabilitation, Komo grew to become a calm yet confident orangutan that firmly disliked human presence. He successfully developed a sound set of survival skills and became a good forager.
After nine long years of rehabilitation, 21-year-old Komo will soon get his chance to enjoy true freedom in the Kehje Sewen Forest.
Gino arrived at BOS Foundation’s Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre on 6 August 2006, at the age of 12 months. He was handed over by a local resident of Muara Bengkal, East Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan, who claimed to have found him wandering alone in a timber estate area.
At Samboja Lestari, Gino was placed in quarantine before he could begin his rehabilitation in Forest School. He had successfully completed all Forest School stages six years later, and in that same year joined other orangutans on Island 4 for the pre-release stage of rehabilitation. Throughout his years of rehabilitation, Gino stood out as the stocky orangutan among his peers, despite being comparatively younger. He grew to become very independent during his time on the island, was good at foraging, and gradually avoided humans.
Gino’s natural behaviours and ability to thrive on his pre-release island earned him a place on the release candidates’ list. Now 14 years old, Gino will soon get the chance to explore his new, wild home in the Kehje Sewen Forest.
Zakir was handed over to BOS Foundation Samboja Lestari on 15 March 2007, when he was three years old. He had been kept illegally as a pet by a local resident of Samarinda, and arrived at Samboja Lestari with piercings in his ears.
After passing quarantine, Zakir joined Forest School and successfully completed all stages. He grew into an independent orangutan that avoided interaction with humans. During his years of rehabilitation, Zakir was known as a dominant orangutan who liked to explore and was good at foraging.
After 12 years of honing his survival skills, 15-year-old Zakir will soon be exploring the Kehje Sewen Forest, where he will finally get the chance to live wild and free.
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