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HOPE FOR GEORGE

Early morning on 19th May 2015, the BOS Foundation rescue team from Samboja Lestari headed to Kutai National Park (TNK) in Bontang. The team, headed up by our Program Manager and veterinarian Agus Irwanto, had previously coordinated with the National Park authorities and were on their way to pick up a new baby orangutan.

George Kept as a Pet
After a 4 hour road trip, the team arrived at the Kutai National Park office. The little orangutan named George was found healthy and was only about 6-months old. He had been kept as pet by a family who apparently found him in Sangkima area, near a coal mine, before they finally handed him over to Kutai National Park.

Even though there has been plenty of media coverage advocating the status of orangutans as a legally protected species, many people claim to be unaware of the laws protecting orangutans and other endangered species due to weak law enforcement and almost zero prosecution rates.

George Under Samboja Lestari’s Care
George had only been taken care of by the keeper at the National Park office for 2 weeks, but he didn’t seem to have any problem with being in the company of humans and we assume he had been taken from his mother shortly after he was born.


Hope for George (Photo credit: Suwardy)

Hope for George (Photo credit: Suwardy)

Hope for George (Photo credit: Suwardy)

Hope for George (Photo credit: Suwardy)

Hope for George (Photo credit: Suwardy)

At Samboja Lestari, while he was comfortably nestling in Vet Agus’s arms, George underwent a health check which will be followed by a three month quarantine period. George will be under the 24 hour care of our babysitters in the clinic and socialized with our other babies once he has completed quarantine.

We hope George has a clean bill of health and will be able to progress through our rehabilitation process which will eventually prepare him to return to the forest. George shouldn’t be with us; he should have been given the right to live safely in the forest with his mother. But we are grateful to have been able to rescue him and at least be able to provide security, care and a chance for George to live in the wild again someday.




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