SAMBOJA LESTARI 5TH ORANGUTAN RELEASE CANDIDATE PROFILES

In the near future, 10 more orangutans will be living in Kehje Sewen forest. They are from Orangutan Reintroduction Center at Samboja Lestari who will be reintroduced into the forest on March, 20 and 21 2014. Here are their profiles. 

GROUP 1

1. ACUL
Acul arrived in Samboja Lestari from Bontang on June 25, 2001 when he was only four years old.

Due to his semi-wild nature, Acul’s skills grew rapidly in Forest School. He is intelligent in choosing natural foods, building nests and spends most of his time in the trees. Acul is now a dominant male orangutans with growing cheekpads. Despite his dominance, Acul is never aggressive towards his friends.

Acul is now 17 years old and weighs 62 kg.  Soon the handsome Acul will enjoy true freedom in the Kehje Sewen Forest.
 

2. NILA
Nila arrived in Samboja Lestari from Bontang on April 22, 1998 when she was still four years old and weighed only 4 kg. This female was cared for in our socialization enclosure together with Titin, Juminten, and Sarmi who were released in Kehje Sewen last year.

Nila was moved to Island 6 and improved her natural skills to survive in the wild whilst on the island. One of her friends on the island is Oneng, who is also a candidate for this release.

Nila prefers to spend her time alone and dislikes human presence. She is also skillful in choosing natural foods and she prefers to find her own food rather than eat the fruit provided daily by technicians. Her favourite food are leaves.

Nila is now 20 years old and weighs 68 kg. The adult female who is active in the trees soon will explore the lush forest of Kehje Sewen, her true home.
 

3. UPI
Upi was handed over to Samboja Lestari on July 4, 2001 by a resident of Balikpapan who had been keeping her as a pet. She was five years old and weighed 16 kilograms.

Before being prepared as a release candidate, Upi learned in Forest School and then was promoted to Halfway House in 2004. She is skillful in recognising her natural foods. Her memorable habit as recalled by the babysitters is making a chirping sound towards the babysitters she disliked.

Upi is now 18 years old and weighs 44 kilograms. Soon the beautiful female orangutan will enjoy the beautiful free life in her new home in Kehje Sewen Forest.
 

4. ONENG
Oneng who was only three years old arrived in Samboja Lestari on April 5, 2006 after being confiscated by the Conservation and Natural Resources Authority in Tenggarong from a resident of Muara Wahau who had been keeping her as a pet. Oneng was placed on Island 6 with other orangutans.

Oneng improved her survival skills on Island 6 with Nila, who will also be released with her, and Sarmi who has previously been released in Kehje Sewen in October 2013.

Oneng who is now 11 years old and weighs 41 kg is the youngest orangutan in this release group. Despite her young age, Oneng is famous for being smart and skillful in escaping from the island by paddling in the water. There is no doubt in her ability in recognising natural foods and building nests. The female orangutan of East Kalimantan will soon enjoy her true home in Kehje Sewen.

GROUP 2

1. INDO
Indo was illegally kept as a pet by a resident of Samarinda before finally handed over to Samboja Lestari on April 10, 2001. The young male orangutan was only five years old and weighed 11.5 kg.

He was the best graduate from Forest School in his time and moved to Halfway House in 2004 to 2005 to improve his skills before being prepared as release candidate.

Indo who is skillful in recognising natural foods is a dominant but calm orangutan. Now 18 years old and weighing 60 kg, Indo is ready to put his skills into practice in his natural habitat.
 

2. MADURI
Maduri arrived in Samboja Lestari on Desember 16, 1998 after being a pet of a resident in Muara Wahau, Kutai Timur Regency. She was two years old and weighed three kilograms.

Having graduated from the Forest School, she was moved to the Halfway House to undergo the last phase of her rehabilitation process between 2003 to 2007. Maduri who is skilled in recognising natural foods and spends most of her time in the trees was then prepared as a release candidate.

This beautiful orangutan with a fair face is now 18 years old and weighs 43 kg. Maduri has transformed into an adult female orangutan who is ready to go back to her true home in Kehje Sewen Forest.
 

3. LEKE
Leke was illegally kept by a resident of Balikpapan before being handed over to Samboja Lestari on April 23, 2001. The female orangutan was only three years old and weighed 5.5 kg. She was suffering from dehydration, acute diarrhoea, and malnutrition, hence immediately placed her under intensive care with the Medical Team.

Leke learned in Forest School in 2001 until 2005 and earned the title of a smart student, who was eventually promoted to the Halfway House to be prepared as a release candidate in 2008.

The strong and large orangutan is a dominant female who doesn’t submit to her male counterparts in rivalry over food. Now 16 years old and weighing 51 kg, brave Leke is ready for her new life in the real forest.

4. BAJURI
Bajuri was handed over to Samboja Lestari by Mulawarman University Botanical Garden in Samarinda on March 1, 2006. He was 6 years old.

In the Forest School, Bajuri was very active and independent. He was skilled in recognising natural foods and building nests. Because of his skills and ability, Bajuri was then prepared as one of our release candidates.

Despite being dominant, he is not aggressive towards his friends. Bajuri is now 14 years old and weighs 49 kg. Soon he will prove his independence and survival ability in the forest of Kehje Sewen.

GROUP 3

1. KENT
Kent arrived from Sangkulirang in Samboja Lestari on March 25, 1999. He was just a baby, aged two months old weighing five kilograms, and was rescued from a local person’s farm. Apart from arriving without his mother, the baby was suffering from dehydration and acute diarrhoea due to a worm infection. Kent graduated from the Samboja Lestari Forest School in 2004 and was placed in Halfway House to be prepared as a release candidate.

The independent Kent is skilled in surviving in the wild and he also dislikes human presence around him. He is now 16 years old and weighs 45 kg. Soon he will live as a true wild orangutan in Kehje Sewen Forest.
 

2. WANI 
Wani arrived in Samboja Lestari on June 26, 2002 after being confiscated by the Conservation and Natural Resources Authority (BKSDA) in Tenggarong from a resident in Samarinda who was keeping her as a pet.  She was five years old and weighed 17 kg. Wani was separated from her mother and caught in Bengalon Village when she was only two months old.

The smart Wani graduated from the Forest School in 2004 and continued her learning process in Halfway House until 2007. She is very skillful in choosing natural foods and only willing to interact with her preferred babysitters.

Wani is now 17 years old and weighs 34 kilograms. The beautiful orangutan will soon go to her true home in Kehje Sewen Forest.