SAMBOJA LESTARI 6th ORANGUTAN RELEASE CANDIDATE PROFILES

In commemoration of the International Orangutan Day on 19th August, BOS Foundation will release another 5 orangutans from Samboja Lestari to Kehje Sewen Forest, East Kalimantan. Here are their profiles

1. AJENG
Ajeng is a female orangutan who was confiscated by the East Kalimantan BKSDA (Natural Resources Conservation Authority) from a local person in Samarinda, East Kalimantan. She arrived in Samboja Lestari on August 9, 2007, when she was 1 year old. Ajeng was in good physical condition and still retained her wild behaviour as she expressed her dislike of human presence.

Over time, Ajeng became a smart and willing student, gladly learning everything her babysitter taught her. In the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rehabilitation Center, Ajeng is considered as one of the smart orangutans in Forest School Level 2. She is quite independent and very good at identifying natural foods. She is also a good explorer and very active in the trees. Compared to her peers, Ajeng is a dominant female.

Now Ajeng is 9 and weighs 33 kg. This beautiful orangutan will be able to prove her independence back in her natural habitat in the Kehje Sewen Forest.

2. LONG
Long is a female orangutan found by a local person from Nehas Liah Bing and handed over to the BOS Foundation Rehabilitation Program at Samboja Lestari, East Kalimantan on August 8, 2007. She arrived as a 1 year old wild baby orangutan who still retained her natural behavior; she didn’t like to be touched and hugged by humans at all and would react aggressively if anyone tried to touch her. She was found in the Wehea Dayak Traditional Forest and this location is not too far from the Kehje Sewen Forest in which she will soon be released. The upcoming release activities is literally a homecoming trip for her; she will be going home!

Long has grown into a dominant female orangutan with a superb skillset and also a soft motherly touch. In Forest School, Long decided to take on responsibility for a young male orangutan, Arief, and has subsequently become his adoptive mother. Everywhere Long goes, Arief will follow; and Long spends hours playing and feeding together with him. Long is frequently seen showing the younger orangutans how to explore the forest, identify their natural foods and build their nests.

Now, this beautiful female orangutan is 9 years old and weighs 34 kg. She is ready to live once again as a true wild orangutan in the Kehje Sewen Forest, but she won’t be going alone; Arief is going with her!

3. ARIEF
Arief is a young male orangutan who was confiscated by the BKSDA (Natural Resources Conservation Authority) Tenggarong unit from a local house in Tenggarong Sub-regency, Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan. The young 2 year-old had lost his mother and has been taken care of in the BOS Foundation’s Rehabilitation Center at Samboja Lestari since March 2013.

Whilst in Forest School, Arief met Long, a-9 year old female who became his surrogate mother and loves him like her own son. The story of the special relationship between Long and Arief began with an encounter in Forest School Level 1. Long—then a student of Forest School Level 2—however ranged further than normal and ended up visiting Level 1, where Arief was playing.

She spotted Arief for the first time and her maternal instincts must have kicked in, as Long instantly lifted Arief into her arms. Arief, being a very young orphan in need of motherly love, naturally accepted her attention. Since then these two have been practically inseparable.

Arief has grown into an astonishing male individual thanks to Long’s loving care. He is now 5 years old and weighs 14 kg. Arief, with his adopted mother, Long, will together return to their true home in the Kehje Sewen Forest.

4. ERICA
Erica is a female orangutan confiscated by the East Kalimantan BKSDA (Natural Resources Conservation Authority) from a local person in Bengalon Sub-regency, East Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan. She arrived in Samboja Lestari on April 17, 2006, when she was just 10 months old and in desperate need of care from our babysitters.

Erica and her peers learn and play together everyday in Forest School Level 2 and her progress is growing more impressive by the day. She is considered an independent individual, very active in the trees and with a love of exploring.

After the wonderful time of living at the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rehabilitation Center, the beautiful Erica is now 9 and weighs 23 kg, and will soon return to her natural habitat in the Kehje Sewen Forest, East Kalimantan.