THE HEROES BEHIND THE SCENES
Who are the dedicated people who care for our orangutans and sun bears every day? Let’s get to know our amazing enrichment team at our rehabilitation centres in Samboja Lestari and Nyaru Menteng.
One essential part of the orangutan reintroduction process is preparing enrichment for each individual orangutan at our rehabilitation centres, both in East Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan. Enrichment provides positive stimulation so that orangutans can maintain their natural instincts for survival. Our dedicated team provides enrichment every day to help meet the needs of the orangutans in our care.
Meet the team
Follow us to Borneo, and let us introduce you to the people behind this effort. First, let’s fly to the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rehabilitation Center and meet four members of our enrichment team: Hamdani, Siti Sundari, Agustinus, and Muhammad Frandi Junianto.
They were previously from different divisions but are now on the same team. For example, Sundari was initially part of the foster mother division. “After that, I was asked to assist the medical team and now have been transferred to the enrichment division,” explained the 37-year-old woman. Sundari admitted that she began loving her job and found valuable experiences working directly with orangutans.
Like Sundari, Hamdani was previously part of the forest school staff as a technician and medical team assistant before finally becoming the coordinator of the enrichment team. “The unforgettable thing is seeing the orangutans we care for, then ready to be released, and witnessing the release process. It feels like a unique satisfaction,” said the man from Samboja.
Unique experiences
While joining the enrichment division, team member Agustinus gained some unique new experiences. “I once fell from a tree at a height of about two meters, got bitten by an orangutan, and even had orangutan feces on my work clothes,” he shared.
The youngest member of the enrichment team, Frandi, admitted that he joined the BOS Foundation out of curiosity and interest in orangutans. “I really enjoy working outdoors and, of course, am curious about orangutans, such as their way of life and what they do,” he stated.
Working closely with wildlife is undoubtedly challenging. However, this does not diminish the spirit of our colleagues who dedicate themselves to working with orangutans. Frandi also mentioned that he hopes to make more useful contributions in the future while being part of the enrichment division.
After getting to know our enrichment team members at Samboja Lestari, let’s head to Central Kalimantan and meet our enrichment team at the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rehabilitation Center. They are Jhon Leo, Ade Candra, Rahman, Mulyadi, Petrus Juliadi, and Nano.
Our rangers have a range of tasks with various facets.
Bitten and chased
Leo has long been a part of the BOS Foundation since 1999. After eleven years, he became the enrichment team coordinator. “I used to think that orangutans fought like humans, hitting each other. I didn’t know that orangutans fight by biting,” said Leo. Both he and Mulyadi had unpleasant experiences when they first encountered orangutans. “What I can’t forget is being bitten and chased by orangutans,” Mulyadi explained. However, both are now quite adept at dealing with orangutans, backed by their 25 years of experience working with these great apes.
Seven years later, in 2007, Candra and Rahman joined Leo and Mulyadi in the enrichment division. Candra shared that he initially joined the BOS Foundation to provide for his family. However, over time, this job made him fall in love with orangutans and become more enthusiastic about dedicating himself.
Hijacked by Bento
Rahman had a different story. He said one unforgettable experience was delivering additional enrichment to the pre-release islands. At that time, his team’s boat was “hijacked” by Bento, a dominant and quite aggressive orangutan. “When Bento got on the boat, my friends and I jumped into the river to save ourselves from Bento’s wrath,” said the 36-year-old man.
In 2011, Petrus joined the BOS Foundation as a technician. A year later, he had a work accident while trying to repair the roof of the orangutan complex. This incident required him to undergo recovery for several years. After returning from his injury, Petrus was transferred to the enrichment team and helped prepare food for the orangutans in the complex.
Memorable Impression
In the same year, the youngest member of the enrichment team, Nano, also joined. Unlike Leo or Rahman, Nano had a memorable impression of an orangutan named Cetah. “While I was taking care of her, Cetah was very cooperative, not naughty, and didn’t bother me,” he explained. Nano also mentioned that Cetah might still remember him because when he was at Kaja Island, this female orangutan approached him and did not show any aggressive signs.
The role of our enrichment team members has a significant impact on the rehabilitation of our orangutans. Without their role, the orangutan reintroduction process would not run smoothly and ideally. As John C. Maxwell said, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” And good teamwork clearly produces brilliant results. Keep it up, team!
