8 Orangutans Released into the Wild in Borneo

TheIndonesia.id - The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) released eight orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) into a natural forest in the Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park area in Kalimantan, after going through rehabilitation at the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rehabilitation Center. They are four males and four females.

A statement from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry received in Jakarta, Friday, December 17, 2021, the release was the result of a collaboration between the Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), the Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park Office (TNBBBR), and partner from the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS). 

"Orangutan is one of the flagship species that continues to be a priority for the Ministry of Environment and Forestry through various conservation efforts so that its existence in nature is maintained and breeds well," said Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE) KLHK Wiratno. 

Wiratno said the existence of successful breeding orangutans is an indicator of good forest conditions, not only for orangutans but also for other animals. The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is an animal protected by law and is included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list with the status of critically endangered species.

As an animal with a critical status, orangutans are not only a domestic concern but also an international one. The government asks for public support in its preservation. 

The community involvement at the release site through monitoring is expected to help preserve orangutans and their habitat in the TNBBBR area. "I express my gratitude and appreciation to all parties, especially the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, which together with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has made efforts to preserve orangutans through this release activity," he said. 

The released orangutans consisted of four males and four females and departed on two separate trips on December 14, 2021, and December 16, 2021. The eight orangutans had gone through a rehabilitation period of between five to 15 years and have been declared healthy and have behaviors that support life in the wild. 

The TNBBBR Center together with the Central Kalimantan BKSDA and partners from the BOS Foundation have released 186 orangutans since 2016, including the eight, currently released. Meanwhile, the total number of orangutans released since 2016 throughout the Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park area in Central Kalimantan and West Kalimantan with other related partners is 246 individuals.