YUYUN JOINS JEFFREY

Yuyun is a 29-year-old female orangutan with Orangutan Respiratory Disease Syndrome (ORDS) who previously occupied an individual enclosure at the Samboja Lestari Rehabilitation Centre. She is one of 23 individuals with chronic respiratory diseases cared for by the BOS Foundation team. Now Yuyun’s life has changed. Find our why.

In addition to suffering from ORDS, Yuyun belongs to a category of orangutans that exhibit abnormal behaviours resulting from the trauma associated with being kept in captivity for a long time. Prior to their rescues, many of these individuals had been trained extensively for exploitation in the entertainment industry. Orangutans with abnormal habits tend to show little to no progression throughout the rehabilitation process. They can also exhibit rather troubling behaviours, such as regurgitating and swallowing food.

The BOS team often saw Yuyun vomiting up her food and then eating it. Sometimes she would even throw vomit at people who came near her enclosure. According to the veterinary team, this behaviour is a result of distress. To alleviate Yuyun’s distress at having humans nearby, our animal welfare and veterinary teams moved her to Island 0 end of February. Her transfer will allow her to live in a semi-wild habitat where she can move around freely and interact with other orangutans.

On Island 0, Yuyun is not alone. Jeffrey, the island’s first resident, was moved to Island 0 on 6 March 2020 after undergoing treatment for a dislocated pelvic bone. However, Yuyun has yet to show any interest in her fellow resident. She obviously needs more time to adjust to her new home before she starts interacting with Jeffrey.

Please consider donating if you would like to support Yuyun and the other unreleasable orangutans in our care. No amount is too small and makes a difference.