New hope with orangutan reintroduction project<\/p>\n
Mikael Onny Setiawan, Contributor, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan<\/p>\n
It is before dawn at Pasir Ridge in Balikpapan but volunteers
\nare already in their vehicles heading to the orangutan research
\ncenter, Wanariset Samboja, some 38 km northwest of the East
\nKalimantan capital.<\/p>\n
More vehicles were waiting in Wanariset Samboja, along with 40
\norangutans (Pongo pygmaeus). All of them were preparing to head
\nfor the Meratus Mountain Forest Reserve.<\/p>\n
\"In terms of the number of orangutans being released, this is
\nthe biggest operation ever in this area. To date we have released
\n400 orangutans into the jungle,\" said Peter Karsono, executive
\ndirector of the Balikpapan Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF)
\nand the person in charge of the orangutan release program.<\/p>\n
\"All of the released orangutans have been carefully selected,
\nfree from any human diseases. They are ready to survive,\" Peter
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
That day, in early November, 40 orangutans aged between five
\nand six years, weighing from 14 to 28 kg, became the 9th group to
\nbe released in the forest reserve in Pasir regency.<\/p>\n
The orangutan population living in the wild has decreased
\nsharply over the last 20 years, mainly due to the disappearance
\nof its natural habitat thanks to illegal logging, slash-and-burn
\nland clearing techniques and the illegal poaching of the
\nprotected species. Now, there are only about 15,000 orangutans in
\nKalimantan and some 9,000 in Sumatra.<\/p>\n
The orangutan reintroduction project has brought new hope.
\nEstablished in January 1991, it was initially a part of the
\nM.o.F\/TROPENBOS-Kalimantan Orangutan research project. The
\nproject started with the release of just four orangutans. Now,
\nsome 400 orangutans have been reintroduced to their natural
\nhabitat by teams from the orangutan research center, Wanariset
\nSamboja. Wanariset has so far conducted 15 separate releases.<\/p>\n
The orangutan reintroduction project is based on extensive
\nresearch by Dr. Herman Rijksen, who defined a new approach for
\nrehabilitating orangutans that had been exposed to humans by
\nreturning them to their natural habitat. Using his approach, the
\nanimals are reintroduced in locations that do not have a wild
\norangutan population.<\/p>\n
One of the project's goals is to assist the Forestry Minister
\nin implementing laws and regulations designed to protect
\norangutans.<\/p>\n
The other goals are to improve people's understanding of the
\nneed for nature conservation and to study orangutans' ability to
\nadapt to new environments as well as studying the animals' impact
\non forest composition. This is especially important because
\norangutans are useful agents for spreading tree seedlings in the
\nrain forest.<\/p>\n
The reintroduction process is performed in three phases:
\nquarantine, socialization and release.<\/p>\n
\"All orangutans coming to the rehabilitation center are
\nphysically checked, finger printed and examined for any hepatitis
\nB, C, TB and other human diseases. The phase takes two or three
\nmonths to complete,\" said BOSF's public relations officer Jeane
\nMandala.<\/p>\n
After being checked, the healthy orangutans must go through
\nthe socialization phase before they can be considered fit to
\nsurvive in their natural habitat.<\/p>\n
\"We study locations prior to the release. We have to make sure
\nfruit trees are available, that there are no wild orangutans in
\nthe area and that the location is geographically closed off from
\nwild populations,\" said Jeane.<\/p>\n
So far, the study has identified two potential areas for the
\nreintroduction project: Wain River and Meratus Mountain forest.<\/p>\n
Wain River is a 11,000-hectare swamp forest that is also the
\nwater catchment area for Balikpapan city. The water supply to
\nBalikpapan can only be maintained if the rest of the forest is
\npreserved.<\/p>\n
Meratus Mountain forest covers a 28,000-hectare area. The
\nreleases are conducted in the lowest part of the hilly area. The
\nforest is ideal because there are numerous fruit trees, swamps
\nand water traps.<\/p>\n
\"We felt great relief after learning that seven orangutans had
\nbeen born in the reintroduction forest. It means our efforts have
\nbeen fruitful and confirms that we are on the right track,\" said
\nWillie Smits, chairman of BOSF's board of directors.<\/p>\n
Each orangutan treated at Wanariset costs the center over Rp 6
\nmillion, covering, among other things, vaccinations, meals and
\nveterinarian costs. \"We have introduced various programs and
\nreceived support from national and international sponsors,\" said
\nPeter Karsono.<\/p>\n
In the near future, a training compound will be built in the
\nWanariset area to teach domesticated orangutans how to survive in
\nthe jungle, their natural habitat.<\/p>\n
\"The costs increase from time to time. Therefore we need more
\nsponsors, both individually and in groups, to support our
\nefforts,\" Peter said.<\/p>",
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