Video and Photos from the 12th BOS Orangutan Release

Learn more about the Release Program here.

The Orangutans Need Your Help!

Please make a donation to BOS Nyaru Menteng today!

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Meet the orangutans in the 12th release.
Check out the main ORANGUTAN RELEASE page.

The 12th BOS Orangutan release from Nyaru Menteng was comprised of two groups: rehabilitated and semi-wild orangutans. The first group, which consisted of eight orangutans – Gina, Zakia, Sule, Kevin, Ella, Lomon, Olivia and Belli – departed on April 11th and the second group, which included Sofi, Suta, Olbert and Nobri, left on April 20th. Our Nyaru Menteng medical team sedated the release candidates at the Quarantine Complex prior to their departure.

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The second departure coincided with Kartini Day, and the women in our orangutan release team showed their strength and support of Borneo’s orangutan conservation effort. Sedated orangutans were carefully transferred into transport cages by our female staff.

After sedation, the orangutans were soon en route to the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest. Both departure groups travelled the same route via land and river, with the teams making stops every two hours to check on the orangutans.

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Traveling from Puruk Cahu to Batu Ampar on a 4-hour boat ride

In the first departure group, Lomon, Belli, Ella and Olivia recovered from their journey in an area managed by PT. Bumi Barito Mineral (Cokal Ltd), and then continued with a 2-hour trip to Camp B in 4×4 vehicles. From Camp B, the team traveled in klotoks (small motor boats) for eight hours to Totat Jalu PRM camp in Batikap.

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Belli in a habituation cage

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The Orangutan Release team en route to Batikap

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Gina, Zakia, Sule and Kevin finally gained their freedom in the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest on April 18th.

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Lomon, the star of the BBC’s Orangutan Diary documentary series, became the 200th orangutan released from Nyaru Menteng. Lomon— along with Kesi, Fio and Grendon— was one of the first group of adoptees in the Orangutan Outreach adoption program.

Back in April 2006, Lomon arrived at the BOS Foundation in a very poor condition. He was released to the Batikap Conservation Forest on April 19, with Agus Fachroni, the accompanying vet present during Lomon’s rescue, given the honour of opening Lomon’s cage to release him back his true home in the forest.

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Agus Fachroni opens Lomon’s cage

Welcome to Batikap: Sofi, Suta, Nobri and Olbert!

The BOS Foundation’s CEO, Jamartin Sihite, headed up the second departure group. After the release team participated in a tampung tawar traditional procession on April 20th (in front of the Central Kalimantan BKSDA office), it was time for Sofi, Suta, Nobri, and Olbert to leave for the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.

The tampung tawar procession indicated the great level of support that local communities have provided with the release of rehabilitated orangutans back to the natural habitat of the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.

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Traditional tampung tawar procession attended by the mantir adat of Bukit Batu Sub Regency Tangkiling, Mr. Desel Inga

Sofi, Suta, Nobri and Olbert went straight to Bukit Batikap without taking a pit stop at Batu Ampar, and were finally released on April 22nd.

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The BOS Foundation’s Communications and Fundraising Advisor, Riana Andam Dewi, opens Suta’s cage

Since 2012, the BOS Foundation’s Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Program has released 155 orangutans to the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest. With these 12 released in April, the total number of orangutans released by the BOS Foundation to Batikap now stands at 167 individuals.

Gina, Zakia, Sule, Kevin, Ella, Lomon, Olivia, Belli, Sofi, Suta, Olbert and Nobri are now finally free and living deep in the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest as true, wild orangutans – as nature intended.

We wish them a healthy and peaceful life in their new home!

Text by: BOSF Communication Team in Nyaru Menteng and HQ

Learn more about the Release Program here.

The Orangutans Need Your Help!

Please make a donation to BOS Nyaru Menteng today!

Donate to BOS Nyaru Menteng via PayPal


Meet the orangutans in the 12th release.
Check out the main ORANGUTAN RELEASE page.