IN THE SPOTLIGHT: JUDITH CURRAN
After four long years of anticipation, Orangutan Jungle School Series 3 is finally here. We are thrilled to get some exclusive insights from Judith Curran, the amazing creator of this award-winning documentary series.
How excited are you that season three is finally airing worldwide, and why did fans have to wait so long to see their favourite orangutans again?
It’s a really profound moment for me to have this third season go to air. In our industry, having a third season of any show go to air is a big deal. It shows the huge audience we have grown over the years. The delay was due to the pandemic. Since orangutans are also vulnerable to COVID-19, it took a long time before we could start filming again.
Can you take us through a typical day of filming?
We wake up around 6 a.m. and head over to the main compound of Nyaru Menting by 7 a.m., when most of the staff arrive. We usually discuss what we will film with the coordination team the day before. At about 7:30 a.m., we head off into the forest, either to one of the forest school groups, the pre-release islands or sometimes the vet clinic, in case something unexpected happens, for example, when a newly rescued orphan arrives. There is always something going on.
Can you share some amusing and unexpected incidents that happened while filming?
Oh yes, that was definitely one of the main challenges of filming there. After we had been there for about a week, we stopped being such a novelty, and most of the orangutans would accept us as part of the scenery. However, there were always a few exceptions, like a couple of characters breaking into backpacks to find food, so we always had someone stay with the equipment and guard it. Cinta was the biggest hat stealer of all. We all had our hats stolen by her, while Valentino was very keen on the backpacks.
What fascinates you the most about orangutans?
There are so many amazing incidents. My favourite is being in the middle of the class filming and watching them mimic each other. One individual puts a papaya leaf over their head as a hat and shade from the sun; everybody starts copying. Then Cinta uses it as a plate, and somebody else uses it as a fan. Just seeing the way that they copy each other is just so extraordinary.
What message do you want the audience to take from Season 3?
It’s been one of my proudest achievements ever that Orangutan Jungle School has been responsible for educating probably well over a million people worldwide about all the issues in Indonesia’s rainforests, like deforestation and the palm oil problem. I know that people who have fallen in love with the orangutans in the series have sought out more information about the conservation side of things. It made a lot of people realise how important these precious great apes are on our planet.
Why is it so important that people like our readers support BOS and its mission?
Orangutans are still very much on the brink of extinction. It is unthinkable to me that we could ever lose them. BOS Foundation and its affiliates, including BOS Australia and BOS New Zealand, are an integral part of the global effort to ensure that this never happens and that so many orangutans can return to the wild where they belong.
