A WILD LESSON
Reuniting with rehabilitated orangutans always brings unique stories for our Post-Release Monitoring (PRM) teams at release sites. Here is one from the Kehje Sewen Forest.
It was a bright morning when the PRM team members went out to patrol the Emerson Transect area. They followed the main transect toward the entrance, located right across from the flying camp near Lembu River.
While walking along the transect and observing their surroundings, the team was startled by the sound of branches rubbing together behind them. This familiar movement could only come from an orangutan!
Who is the female?
At first, the team struggled to identify the individual because the members on duty were relatively new, and monitoring in Kehje Sewen Forest no longer relies on transmitters.
After documenting the female orangutan and conducting a closer examination, the team confirmed that she was Mona. BOS released her in 2013, and the rangers last sighted her in 2022 near the Lembu River in the northern part of Kehje Sewen Forest.
Female Mona was released in 2013 and was last seen in 2022 before this encounter.
Keeping it safe
The encounter became slightly tense when Mona showed interest in following our team. Fortunately, she did not act aggressively, nor was she accompanied by any other orangutans. However, to be safe, our PRM team decided to observe her from a distance.
During the observation, Mona was active, using all four limbs to move around while eating young leaves and the tender shoots of Etlingera plants. When Mona approached our team, they moved to the main transect near the Lembu River to prevent her from following them back to camp. However, the hilly terrain made this challenging for the young rangers, as cliffs and ravines on both sides of the path offered little room for safe maneuvering.
A challenging return
The observation lasted for about two hours. Although the team had initially planned for a longer session, Mona’s growing interest in them caused the monitoring to finish early. The challenging terrain also increased the risk of accidents.
This experience provided valuable lessons for our PRM team rookies, highlighting the importance of maintaining a safe distance during observations. Additionally, it taught them how to think and act quickly in critical situations. Well done, team!
