CHALLENGING ORANGUTAN RESCUE
Recently, a resident of Sei Gohong village reported that a wild orangutan had approached the outskirts of the village area. BOS swiftly took action to rescue the animal.
A male orangutan was sighted close to the village, with residents attempting to scare it away by shouting and preventing it from entering. 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 the orangutan’s and residents’ 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, but our team was able to shoot a tranquiliser dart successfully into the orangutan’s back.
Oyo in his new home. His relocation will ensure that Oyo stays safe and cannot return to residential areas.
Once the orangutan had fallen asleep, the team immediately assessed him on-site, followed by further examinations at the BKSDA headquarters to confirm and record his health.
Once at our Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre, the staff named him ‘Oyo’. After completing a final health check, the team translocated Oyo to the border of Palas Island in Tumbang Tahai Village. This relocation will ensure that Oyo cannot return to residential areas.
Stay safe and continue thriving, Oyo!
