Group cares for ill orangutans<\/p>\n
Nani Farida, Medan, North Sumatra<\/p>\n
A floppy, round-eyed Diana Lusi Febrianti hugs her keeper tightly
\nand timidly faces several journalists taking her picture.<\/p>\n
The one-year-old baby Sumatran orangutan is sick with
\nHepatitis B.<\/p>\n
She lives at the Sumatran orangutan (pongo abelii) captive
\nbreeding facility in Batu Mbelin village, Sibolangit, about 40
\nkilometers from the North Sumatran provincial capital of Medan.<\/p>\n
Run by a non-governmental agency, the Sumatran Orangutan
\nConservation Program (SOCP), this facility is home to 15 other
\nSumatran orangutans. All are being treated for different
\nillnesses.<\/p>\n
The population of the orangutans, now recorded at between
\n3,500 and 4,000, faces rapid extinction -- it's been placed on
\nthe \"Critically Endangered\" list by the Convention on
\nInternational Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).<\/p>\n
And every year the population drops further because of illegal
\ntrading and habitat loss.<\/p>\n
\"Sumatran orangutans are smaller in number than Kalimantan
\norangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), whose population is still in the
\nregion of 60,000,\" Ian Singelton, SOCP project director, told The
\nJakarta Post. Sumatran orangutans were slimmer, better-looking
\nand smarter than the species in Kalimantan. They also had finer
\nhair, he said.<\/p>\n
The biggest population of Sumatran orangutans is found in the
\nstrife-torn Aceh province. They live in the primary forest in
\nLeuser area, that part of the province that will shortly be
\nopened up for the controversial Ladia Galaska highway project.<\/p>\n
\"The construction of this highway will spell the extinction of
\nSumatran orangutans,\" Singelton said.<\/p>\n
At the captive breeding site, the SOCP is doing its best to
\nrestore the condition of Sumatran orangutans once kept by humans.<\/p>\n
Afterwards they will be reintroduced to the forest.<\/p>\n
This captive breeding site is a restricted place as orangutans
\nare highly prone to diseases and can easily communicate them
\namong populations. Visitors can only enter this facility with
\nspecial permission.<\/p>\n
\"I wonder why many people love keeping orangutans as pets. In
\nfact, they are carriers of quite a few diseases,\" Singelton said.<\/p>\n
Most of the orangutans treated at this captive breeding
\nfacility came from Aceh and had been collected with the
\ncooperation of the local natural resources conservation center
\n(BKSDA), he said.<\/p>\n
Previously, the center was located in Bukit Lawang, North
\nSumatera. After the location was heavily flooded, the SOCP moved
\nit to Mbelin village in Sibolangit.<\/p>\n
The Mbelin center measures about 3.9 hectares in area and is
\nlocated close to a protected forest. There are two types of cages
\nfor orangutans. Quarantine cages for their medical treatment and
\nlarger ones where they are kept in groups before they are
\nreintroduced into the forest in Jambi.<\/p>\n
Most orangutans confined for medical treatment are usually
\nafflicted with strongloides, hepatitis and fungi-related
\nailments. In this part of the facility they are kept in isolation
\nto prevent contagion.<\/p>\n
At the captive breeding facility, several keepers are assigned
\nto take care of the monkeys. They clean the cages and feed the
\nanimals every hour with sterilized fresh fruit.<\/p>\n
\"Thank God, this area is a good fruit producer,\" Singelton
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Close to the cages, there is a clinic with surgery equipment
\nand medical supplies. There is always a veterinary surgeon on
\nduty.<\/p>\n
When a Sumatran orangutan is declared healthy, it is moved to
\na larger cage with other orangutans. After some time the monkeys
\nare reintroduced into the forest where there are no wild
\norangutans.<\/p>\n
\"Orangutans that have stayed at this captive breeding site
\ncannot live together with wild orangutans,\" Singelton said.<\/p>\n
Back in the forest, they are monitored until they can live
\nindependently.<\/p>\n
In Diana's case, she will probably spend the rest of her life
\nin the captive breeding site because of her hepatitis. She'll
\nnever swing free in the wild.
\n
\n-- Ibox:
\nOn the net:
\nSumatran Orangutan Conservation Program (SOCP):
\nwww.sumatranorangutan.com<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/group-cares-for-ill-orangutans-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}