Mawa: Spring 2025

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Temon and her adoptive son, Mawa, have been an incredible duo to watch at the forest school. Temon, now weighing in at a healthy 84 pounds (38 kilograms), has made tremendous strides in mastering essential survival skills. She’s become quite the forager and nest-builder, but what really sets her apart is her sharp sense of danger. Whenever she spots something suspicious—whether it’s a snake or an unfamiliar animal—she’s quick to sound the alarm, vocalizing her warnings to the others.

But perhaps the most heartwarming part of Temon’s journey is her deep bond with Mawa. Even though they’re not related by blood, Temon cares for him as if he were her own, constantly keeping him safe and teaching him the ropes of life in the forest. Their daily routine is a demonstration to their close bond. They wake up, check out their surroundings, and then start the day’s foraging together, with some playful wrestling thrown in for good measure.

Temon spends most of her day up in the trees, searching for food, and she’s become an expert at it. Her diet includes a wide variety of wild foods like Syzygium fruits, liana fruits, roots, and even insects. She’s not entirely reliant on the meals provided by the keepers, though she still enjoys sweet potatoes and corn when offered. Unlike some orangutans, Temon isn’t one to steal food. She keeps to herself during mealtimes, which speaks volumes about her independence and confidence in her ability to find her own food.

Temon may not engage with enrichment every day, but when Temon gets her hands on burlap sacks stuffed with food or nuts, she fully embraces the challenge. It’s a great way for her to sharpen her foraging instincts. Her nest-building skills are also top-notch. She doesn’t just wait until nightfall to build her nests—she makes them throughout the day, especially if she’s full or if the weather turns rainy. Her ability to build sturdy, safe nests is a key survival skill she’s mastered.

Mawa, at just four years old, is already showing signs that he’s following in Temon’s footsteps. He’s a bright and active young orangutan, and his foraging skills are impressive for his age. He’s started to venture away from Temon a bit more, interacting with others and testing out his independence, but he still stays close to his adoptive mum most of the time. Thanks to Temon’s arboreal lifestyle, Mawa has plenty of opportunities to learn how to climb, forage, and navigate the treetops. Though he still enjoys food provided by the keepers—like papayas, bananas, and sweet potatoes—he’s slowly adding more natural forest foods to his diet.

One of the biggest advantages of being with Temon is the safety she provides. Her sharp instincts for detecting predators, particularly snakes, means Mawa is growing up in a secure environment where he can learn all the crucial survival skills he’ll need in the wild.

All in all, both Temon and Mawa are making great progress. Temon’s growing independence and excellent foraging and nest-building skills, combined with her protective nature toward Mawa, show she’s well on her way to thriving in a natural habitat. And Mawa, with Temon’s guidance, is learning quickly and developing the skills he’ll need as he grows up.