In the heart of the Hiran Watershed area (DAS Hiran), Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park (TNBBBR) area in Central Kalimantan, an unexpected encounter between a mother orangutan and her baby brought both curiosity also joy to the Post-Release Monitoring (PRM) team from the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation. Initially, the orangutan was mistaken for Hilda—another female orangutan previously released. However, after closer observation and careful analysis, the orangutan was identified as Melisa.
Melisa is a rehabilitated orangutan who was released into TNBBBR in June 2019. Since then, she has adapted well to her wild surroundings, blending into the forest canopy and only occasionally being spotted by our monitoring team. In mid-2023, she was seen again—this time with a small baby clinging tightly to her back.
When Melisa was first spotted again post-release in 2023, she displayed strong maternal instincts. The baby orangutan she carried was still very small, and Melisa kept a safe distance from our monitoring team. She soon disappeared into the dense canopy, making further documentation or observation nearly impossible. From this brief encounter, the medical and field teams estimated that the baby was likely born around June 2023.
Recently, our team has had a clearer sighting of Melisa and her baby. Now estimated to be around two years old, the baby still clings closely to its mother. So far, the team has not been able to determine the baby’s gender due to their close physical bond.
The good news is that both Melisa and her baby appear to be in good health. Our PRM team observed them actively foraging for natural food and moving energetically through the forest. This indicates that Melisa has successfully adapted to life in the wild and is raising her baby independently—a remarkable milestone in orangutan conservation.
Melisa’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of long-term monitoring in orangutan conservation. Her ability to survive and reproduce in the wild is the result of years of dedicated rehabilitation, release, and follow-up monitoring. We will continue tracking Melisa and her baby, hoping to learn more about the young one’s development and identity.
Text by: Communication Team, BOS Foundation Headquarters, Bogor, West Java
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