Nyaru Menteng 11th orangutan release profiles
BOS Foundation: August 24, 2015
In commemoration of the International Orangutan Day on 19th August, BOS Foundation will release another 20 orangutans from Nyaru Menteng to Bukit Batikap Conservation forest, Central Kalimantan.
Here are their profiles
SEMI-WILD
Semi-wild orangutans categorise those individuals who have still retained sufficient natural behaviour at the time of rescue and have consistently demonstrated that they have acquired adequate forest skills
1. WOMBAT 
Wombat is a male orangutan confiscated from a local person in Tangar Village, East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan. He arrived in Nyaru Menteng on 15 September 2007, when he was 2 ½ years old and weighed 11 kilograms.
In December 2012, Wombat was moved to one of our pre-release islands called Bangamat. Wombat is a friendly character who socialises well with other orangutans. He is very active and ranges through the forest intensively.
The sturdy Wombat is easily recognisable by his thin reddish beard. After spending 8 years progressing through the rehabilitation process, this 11 year old now weighs 38 kgs and is ready to return to his real home in the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest and hopefully reunite with his old friend, Maha.
2. MARDIANTO 
Mardianto is a male orangutan who was rescued by the Central Kalimantan BKSDA on 1 June 2005, from an oil palm plantation in East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan. When he arrived at Nyaru Menteng, he was 2 ½ years old.
Graduating from Forest School in 2012, the short-dark-brown-haired Mardianto was placed onto Bangamat pre-release island to complete the final stage of his learning. Mardianto is easy to recognise with his wide-flat forehead and dark face.
Mardianto socialises quite easily with others, and was close friends with Maha and Wombat. He is a very active and adventurous individual. Now at 13 years of age Mardianto dislikes humans and will kiss-squeak to demonstrate his disapproval. After 10 years of progressing through rehabilitation, Mardianto is ready to return to natural habitat in the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest together with his two friends,, Wombat and the previously released Maha
3. SIGI 
Sigi is a male orangutan handed over by a local man from Pundu Village, East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan. Sigi was reported to have been found in an oil palm plantation near the village in a poor condition with infected wounds on three of his fingers (thumb, index finger and ring finger). Sigi arrived at Nyaru Menteng on 6th August 2007, and received immediate medical treatment from our team at the clinic. The medical team were left with no choice but to amputate the three fingers to save the infection from further spreading.
Several months post surgery, Sigi started to show his climbing skills in Forest School. His disability does not prevent him from engaging in normal orangutan activities. In December 2012, the thick-dark-brown-haired, orange bearded male started the final pre-release phase on Bangamat pre-release island.
Sigi is now 11 years old and weighs 45 kgs. He is not a dominant individual, however he does not like to be approached by humans and will show his displeasure at human presence. Sigi has gained the skills he needs to return to the forest and is more than ready to embrace freedom in the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.
4. BENJOL 
Benjol is a female orangutan, confiscated by BKSDA from a local person in Padas Village, Parenggean, Central Kalimantan on 15 April 2005. We were informed that the motherless 2 year old orangutan was rescued from a small forested area inside an oil palm plantation in Padas Village.
Benjol, who has sad little eyes, is a very active orangutan. She had still retained some of her wild behavior when she arrived at Nyaru Menteng and her survival abilities have grown rapidly.
Benjol is now 12 years old and weighs 28 kg. Shortly, she will once again be able to enjoy her freedom in the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest as a true wild orangutan.
REHABILITANT
Rehabilitants are orangutans who were rescued at a very young age and/or had been kept by humans as pets. These orangutans did not have or had lost most of the necessary skills to survive independently in the forest and thus must go through an intensive rehabilitation process (Forest School and the final pre-release stage on an island/halfway house), which can take up to 7 years on average.
5. CHIKI 
Chiki is a female orangutan confiscated by BKSDA from a local person in Banjar Baru, South Kalimantan on 24 September 2003, when she was 4 years old.
Chiki grew to be an independent female. After finishing Forest School in November 2005, the long and thick reddish-brown haired Chiki was relocated on to Bangamat pre-release island where she become an avid explorer.
Chiki is now 17 years old. Twelve years of living and learning in our rehabilitation center has helped Chiki to develop her survival skills. She is now ready to apply her skills as a true wild orangutan in the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.
6. AFRI 
Afri arrived at our rehabiliation center, Wanariset in East Kalimantan, in 1999 after being confiscated by BKSDA from a local person in Palangka Raya who was keeping her as a pet. On 23 August 2000, Afri was transferred back to Central Kalimantan to our center at Nyaru Menteng to continue her rehabilitation process. She arrived in Nyaru Menteng when she was 4 years old.
Similar to other rehabilitants, after finishing Forest School, Afri was moved to Palas pre-release island in 2004. The gentle, friendly Afri socialises well with other orangutans. With short dark-brown haired and a thin orange beard, Afri is well known as an explorer and is skillful in choosing natural foods. She loves to play with water, too.
Afri has been living and learning in Nyaru Menteng for 16 years. Now in her nineteenth year and weighing 66 kgs, the beautiful Afri is set for a new life in the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.
7. NORA 
Nora arrived in Nyaru Menteng on 28 March 2003, when she was 4 years old. She was confiscated from a local person in Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan, who had tried to domesticate this young female.
Nora, quickly developed natural orangutan skills in Forest School and went on to continue her training on Palas pre-release island. Unfortunately she had to be temporarily brought back to Nyaru Menteng in April 2010 for medical treatment, following conflict with other orangutan, resulting in wounds on her back and right eyelid. After recovery, Nora was moved into a socialisation complex and in June 2013, she was relocated to Kaja pre-release island. Nora rarely appears at the feeding platforms and is surviving well feeding on natural foods found on the island.
This robust orangutan with short thick dark brown hair and slanted brown eyes is now 16 years old and weighs 40 kg. With the experiences she has gained on Palas and Kaja, Nora is more than ready to live in the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest as a true wild orangutan.
8. JAMBI AND JAMARTIN 
Jambi is a female orangutan confiscated from a local person in Jabiren village on 17 December 1999. She came to Nyaru Menteng when she was 3 and weighed only 6 kgs. She was in a very poor condition with a wound on her left little finger due to machete blow she sustained when she was forced to let go off her dead mother.
Jambi finished her training in Forest School and moved to Palas pre-release island. She prefers her own company and explores on her own. She once disappeared and our technicians were unable to observe her for three months, only to locate her in December 2012 looking well and healthly. Later she was brought back to Nyaru Menteng for a medical check up following conflict with another orangutan, resulting in wounds to her back. After recovery, she was returned safely to Palas island. On 20 June 2013, Jambi gave birth to her first son named Jamartin on Palas island.
Jambi and her son, Jamartin, were transferred to Kaja island, before being selected as release candidates. Jambi is now 18 years old and weighs a healthy 49 kgs, while Jamartin is 2 years old and weighs 3 kgs. Jambi will soon return home to the forest and be able to raise Jamartin the way she is supposed to, in their true home.
9. MEKLIES AND MEKLIAS 
Meklies is a female orangutan rescued from an oil palm plantation in East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan on 11 December 2006. When she arrived in Nyaru Menteng, she was 3 years old and weighed 7 kgs. She also had scars above her right eye and on her neck indicating past mistreatment.
After she completed Forest School, Meklies was moved to Kaja island to complete the final phase of her rehabilitation. She soon attracted a number of male suitors on the island. On 6 July 2012, and whilst in the midway complex, she gave birth to her first son we named Meklias.
The beautiful Meklies loves her son deeply. Meklias is now 3 years old and weighs 4 kgs, while Meklies is 12 years old and 30 kgs. With the experience she has gained living in Nyaru Menteng for 9 years, she will now be able to teach her son how to be a true wild orangutan in their new home, the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.
10. MAWAR AND MUMPUNI 
This female named Mawar was confiscated by the Central Kalimantan BKSDA (Natural Resources Conservation Agency) from a local person in Palangka Raya who had been keeping her as a pet. She was confiscated on 20 November 2000, when she was only 7 years old and weighed 15 kgs. When she arrived at Nyaru Menteng she was already blind in one eye.
Mawar graduated to Kaja island after completing Forest School. There, Mawar was amongst the most active individuals and highly alert. On 27 July 2012, Mawar gave birth to her first son who we called Mumpuni. Mumpuni has short hair and also shows rather wild behavior. He does not like to get to close to humans and immediately tries to find protection behind his mother whenever he sees someone.
After 15 years of progressing through the rehabilitation process in Nyaru Menteng, Mawar is now 22 and weighs 40 kgs. Her son is 3 and weighs 5 kgs. Soon the two will return to their true home, the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.
11. SUMEH AND SAWUNG 
Sumeh was 4 years old and 13 kgs when confiscated by the Central Kalimantan BKSDA (Natural Resources Conservation Agency) from a local person in Palangka Raya on 12 August 2000. At that time, Sumeh was highly dependant on humans due to a long period in captivity. Therefore she needed to spend an intensive period in Forest School along with other orangutans of her age in order to regain her natural skills and behavior.
During her 15 years of rehabilitation, Sumeh has given birth twice on Kaja island. Her first daughter was named Gembira born on 26 May 2007, and she is now living independently. While her second infant, Sawung, was born on 23 September 2014. Little Sawung is now a year old and still cared for in his mother’s protective arms.
Being raised in rehabilitation center, Sumeh is surprisingly a good mother to her offspring. She is also known to be an active and independent individual. She has proven she ready for a life in the real forest. She is now 19, and along with her two loved ones, Gembira and Sawung, she will soon return to their true home, the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.
12. GEMBIRA 
Gembira, which means happy in English, is Sumeh’s first daughter, who was born on Kaja island on 26 May 2007. Since infancy, Gembira was lovingly raised by her mother and taught how to survive in the forest.
Skills in building nests, identifying natural predators and foraging have been well-mastered by Gembira. Her curiousity also means she is extremely active and explores all over Kaja island. Gembira behaves like a wild orangutan. She avoids human presence and kiss-squeaks whenever disturbed.
Now 8 years old, Gembira is ready to go home together with her mother and little brother to the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.
13. DIDIK 
Didik is a male orangutan, confiscated by Central Kalimantan BKSDA from a local person in Palangka Raya and subsequently handed over to Nyaru Menteng to commence the rehabilitation process. Didik arrived on August 12 2000, when he was 4 years old. After two months in our quarantine facility, Didik started Forest School to recover his lost natural skillset and regain his wild behaviour.
After he graduated from Forest School, Didik moved to Kaja island to commence the final phase of his pre-release learning.
Now, he is 18 years old and weighs 75 kg. Little Didik has grown into big dominant male orangutan with fully developed cheek-pads. He is easily identifiable as he has a deep-set forehead, which distinctly differentiates him from other orangutans. Now, it is only a matter of days before Didik can show his skills and independence as a true wild orangutan in the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.
14. CHEETAH 
Cheetah arrived in Nyaru Menteng on May 30 2001, after BKSDA confiscated her from a resident in Jakarta. At that time, this female orangutan was 3 years old and weighed 11.5 kg. Upon arrival, she was in a terrible condition, and her right thumb was cut open, clearly caused by a blow from a knife or sharp instrument. The medical team at Nyaru Menteng responded quickly and were left with no choice but to amputate her right thumb.
Several months after surgery, Cheetah joined her fellow orangutans in the Forest School. After graduating from the Forest School, Cheetah was transferred to Palas pre-release island. There, she became an avid explorer of the island. However, on October 15 2011, Cheetah suffered a bad fall resulting in a badly broken left arm, which required specialist surgery. On October 29 2011, the Nyaru Menteng medical team, assisted by Dr. Endrotomo, an orthopedic specialist from a hospital in Jakarta, installed a titanium plate in her left arm. Shortly after surgery, her condition improved dramatically and now her left arm functions completely normally.
This beautiful, long-haired, orangutan is now 17 years old and weighs 57 kg. After 14 years under rehabilitation in Nyaru Menteng, it is Cheetah’s time to once again enjoy a life in freedom as a true wild orangutan.
15. BENTO 
This male orangutan was confiscated on November 10, 2004 by the Central Kalimantan BKSDA from a Jakarta resident, who had kept him as a pet, When he was handed over to Nyaru Menteng, Bento was already 13 years old and weighed 31 kg.
Bento has spent the last phase of his rehabilitation process on the pre-release island, Kaja. On Kaja Island, Bento was extremely dominant, dislikes human presence and, like all wild adult male orangutans, he prefers a solitary life.
Now, Bento is 24 years old and weighs 75 kg. He has brown long hair with fully developed cheek-pads. Bento is ready to return to life in the forest and will shortly depart for the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest, where he will become a true wild
16. SAMBA 
Samba arrived at Nyaru Menteng after he was confiscated from a local resident of Tumbang Samba village, Katingan Regency, Central Kalimantan, on March 8 2000 when he was only one year old.
After graduating from Forest School, Samba, who was well known for his general dislike towards humans, underwent a pre-release phase on Palas Island. There, the young Samba grew into a dominant male orangutan who ranged extensively across the island. Additionally, Samba is very skillful in indentifying edible wild fruits and termites in the forest. He is respected and feared by his male orangutan island companions.
This handsome orangutan with reddish brown hair and beard is now 17 years old and weighs 90 kg. Soon, Samba will be able to test his wild skills in his true forest home in the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest.
To follow the progress of the releases please follow the Central Kalimantan Release Blog
or join us on Facebook.
