Since May 29, 2025, Selfie, a young female orangutan, has officially joined the small group at the Forest School of the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre. At first, she was accompanied by Rumba, her little companion who had also been in the nursery group. Rumba’s presence brought comfort to Selfie, especially after their friend Iqo was promoted to the larger group.
However, an unexpected situation occurred: Rumba couldn’t bear the separation from Iqo and cried constantly, searching for her. To support Rumba’s emotional well-being, the team decided to move her up to the larger group as well so she could stay close to Iqo. This left Selfie alone in the small group for a few days—until another orangutan named Nia joined her and became her new companion.
Despite spending some time alone, Selfie displayed a strong sense of adventure. She actively explored and climbed tall trees in the small group area. One of her unique and endearing habits is placing a leaf in her mouth and keeping it there for a long time—it has become her signature behaviour. When it comes to food, Selfie is not greedy. She eats fruit in moderation and never overindulges.
Previously, when she was still with Iqo and Rumba, Selfie would often hide at her surrogate mother’s feet. Her smaller size made her seem more vulnerable, and her friends’ rough play could sometimes feel overwhelming, almost like bullying. But now, with only Nia as her peer, Selfie appears more confident and free.
She eagerly explores the area, and her bond with her surrogate mother has grown stronger—resembling the relationship between a mother and child. Sometimes, at the end of the forest school day, Selfie even asks to be carried back to the nursery, hugging her caregiver tightly along the way.
Health-wise, Selfie occasionally catches a mild cold due to the unstable weather, alternating between rain and heat. However, this does not significantly affect her activity levels in the group. The medical team at Nyaru Menteng provides her with vitamins and light medication to help maintain her health.
Selfie’s journey at the forest school continues to show steady progress. From a young orangutan who once faced difficult times, she is now growing into an active, confident individual, slowly forming her own identity. We remain hopeful that Selfie will continue to thrive and, one day, be ready to return to her natural home in the wild.
Text by: Communications Team at Nyaru Menteng, Central Kalimantan
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