Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP)
Orangutan Outreach is enormously proud to be supporting the conservation efforts of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP), an organization that has been working to protect the critically endangered Sumatran Orangutan since 2002. Visit the SOCP website to learn more about their phenomenal work.
Led by Dr Ian Singleton, SOCP has a proven record for delivering measurable results in the field of confiscations and reintroduction of orangutans, long-term research and monitoring, as well as a strong dedication to the conservation of critical orangutan habitat in a country where there continues to be enormous pressure for economic development at the expense of wilderness and biodiversity, and forest governance remains weak.
SOCP is a collaborative initiative between the Indonesia-based NGO the Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari (YEL; Sustainable Ecosystem Foundation), Swiss-based NGO the PanEco Foundation, and the Indonesian Government’s Directorate General of Natural Resource and Ecosystem Conservation (Ditjen KSDAE). The SOCP works on all aspects of conservation of the Critically Endangered Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis).
The SOCP Quarantine Center
After confiscation, all orangutans are first brought to SOCP's Quarantine Center in Batu Mbelin, North Sumatra Indonesia. The center meets all the requirements for a facility of this nature. It is just one hour from the large city of Medan, meaning it is well connected for land, air and sea transport and medical laboratories. Smallholder farms and SOCP’s nearby Orangutan Haven are also nearby. Most of the current staff of the quarantine grew up nearby and the majority of the orangutans' food consists of locally grown fruit and vegetables.
Learn more about the SOCP Quarantine
SOCP's Infant Quarantine or "Baby House"
The SOCP Infant Quarantine, or Baby House, is constantly receiving orphaned babies under 3 years of age. It is critical to ensure that conditions are optimal— meeting the highest possible welfare standards for the youngest and most vulnerable intakes at the center. It is also crucial that the babies have a proper space in order to learn the skills required before they move to the socialization cages with the other orangutans. The residents of the Baby House are constantly changing as new orangutans arrive and older residents move into more advanced groups.
Learn more about the Baby House
The Orangutan Haven
The Haven is the development of a vital island orangutan sanctuary in Northern Sumatra, Indonesia for rescued orangutans who for reasons of ill health or injury due to human impact require long-term care and can never be released into the wild. The sanctuary will allow each individual an enriching life within a natural habitat setting. It will also become a crucial conservation education resource aimed at changing attitudes towards wildlife and the environment within the region. The plan is for 7 orangutans, including cheekpadder Krismon, to move into their new home in 2022.
Learn more about the Orangutan Haven
Tapanuli Orangutans
The orangutans residing in the Batang Toru Ecosystem, where the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) has worked since 2005, are distinct from the Bornean (Pongo pygmaeus) and Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii), and are therefore a separate species, the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis). There as only 800 Tapanuli orangutans left... and they are critically endangered.
Learn more about the Tapanuli orangutans
SOCP Research Stations
SOCP carries out important surveys and monitoring of both Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans. Long term studies are maintained on orangutan behavior and ecology which help inform conservation efforts. This work is done at three monitoring stations throughout Sumatra. One of the stations, Suaq Balimbing, is located in the Kluet swamps. It was in this area that the Netflix documentary, Secret Lives of Orangutans was filmed.
Learn more about SOCP's biodiversity monitoring stations
Orangutans in Sumatra Need Your Help!
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Adopt an orangutan!
You can directly support SOCP by adopting Brenda or Krismon for just USD $15/month (or USD $150/year).
Learn more about them on our adoption page.
Brenda
Click on the image below to read about and adopt Brenda.
Janet
Click on the image below to read about and adopt Janet.
Krismon
Click on the image below to read about and adopt Krismon.
