On 9 September, a resident of Sei Gohong village reported that a wild orangutan had approached the outskirts of the village area. A male orangutan was sighted close to the village, with residents attempting to scare it away by shouting and preventing it from entering the village. As a result, the orangutan refrained from approaching and remained perched in a tree near the river bank.
An orangutan entering a residential area is not good for both orangutan and resident well-being. As a result, the Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) and the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation immediately dispatched a joint wildlife rescue team to the location to conduct a rescue. However, a large number of onlookers had gathered, making the rescue and evacuation of the orangutan more difficult.
As the medical team prepared to use the tranquiliser gun, the clever orangutan realised there was a weapon pointed at him and instinctively knew his safety was in danger. He quickly moved from one tree to the next, protecting himself and avoiding being caught. It took patience and waiting for the perfect moment, our team was able to successfully shoot a tranquiliser dart into the orangutan’s back.
Once the orangutan had fallen asleep, he was immediately assessed on-site. Further examinations were conducted at the BKSDA headquarters in Central Kalimantan to confirm and record the orangutan’s health. He was then transferred to the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre, where he was given the name ‘Oyo’. Oyo was transported to Palas Tumbang Tahai Island on 11 September, following a complete health check by the BOS Foundation’s veterinary team and BKSDA staff. This relocation was important for Oyo, so he could avoid returning to residential areas.
Text by: Communications Team at Nyaru Menteng, Central Kalimantan
Will you help us rescue, rehabilitate and release orangutans back to freedom? Thank you!
