RELEASED ORANGUTANS REUNITE IN THE KEHJE SEWEN FOREST

A few weeks ago, our PRM team from Nles Mamse Camp carried out nest-to-nest observations on Bungan. The team caught up with her again a few days later foraging on a hill near Nles Mamse Camp, where forest fruits are plentiful this time of year. Bungan was seen savouring rattan and Lithocarpus sp. fruits and drinking water from the hollow of a tree trunk.

As she foraged alone in the forest, Bungan came across Teresa and Leonie; two females we released last year. The three kept each other company as they ate, with Bungan climbing up to take a rest after a while and leaving Teresa and Leonie to continue foraging.

Once she had finished eating Teresa approached Bungan and rested with her while Leonie continued her journey, moving from one tree to another.

Bungan and Teresa spent some time together resting, playfully wrestling and foraging. As rain started to fall, the two took shelter together in the same nest and when it stopped, they went back to foraging.

The team have also been monitoring other released orangutans in several different locations: Angely was seen eating Artocarpus sp. on a hill near her release point, while Raymond was located roaming near the location in which he was released in May. The team saw Hope eating just a few hundred meters from where both Raymond and Angely were, and Long and Arief were spotted along phenology transects 1 and 2, in the south of the Kehje Sewen Forest. All appeared to be in good health and were spending a great deal of time up in the trees.

We are thrilled to see these orangutans – who all went through a lengthy rehabilitation process at Samboja Lestari – adapting well to their new surroundings.