OC Launches Orangutan Crisis Coalition to Promote Unity, Spur Action
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Volume 10, No. 1
OC Launches Orangutan Crisis
Coalition to Promote Unity, Spur Action
2007
With wild orangutans and support conservation efforts.
their rainforest homes disap- The OCC will also seek to
from the Wilderness
pearing faster than ever, the raise funds to identify suit-
Orangutan Conservancy able release sites for the
AN ANNUAL PUBLICATION OF THE ORANGUTAN CONSERVANCY
(OC) recently launched the hundreds of orangutans
Orangutan Crisis Coalition being held in rehabilitation
(OCC), a project that will centers in Indonesia and
bring together conservation Malaysia.
organizations, zoos, univer-
sities, corporations, and field The Association of Zoos &
researchers to work on is- Aquariums (AZA) issued a
sues related to orangutan letter in support of the OCC,
protection. stating that “the situation
facing wild orangutans in
The OCC was unveiled by Borneo and Sumatra is dire
OC chairman Norm Rosen but not irreversible, and AZA
at the Orangutan Species institutions and the AZA’s
Survival Plan (SSP) Hus- Species Survival Plan (SSP)
bandry Workshop (see page are keenly aware that they
3), which was staged Octo- have a role to play in this
ber 16-18 at the Brookfield fight.” The OCC is also com-
Zoo in Chicago. mitted to working closely
serve as a link between all
“The situation facing orangu- of the various organizations with individual AZA institu-
tans in Sumatra and Borneo and agencies working on tions that care for orangu-
is critical,” Rosen said, “and various aspects of orangu- tans and the Orangutan
the time to act is now. We tan care or conservation, SSP.
believe the Orangutan Cri- but with little overlap or mu- One aspect of the OCC
sis Coalition will be the tual support. The OCC, for will be to engage the broad-
most effective way to en- instance, can link North est possible segment of the
gage the most people and American zoos directly with public in North America and
organizations around the field projects in Sumatra or
world in this effort.” (Continued on page 11)
Borneo, just as it can en-
The OCC is designed to gage major corporations to
OC Targets Funding to Support Nyaru Menteng
The Orangutan Conser- quarantine cages, erect
vancy (OC) stepped up its fencing along the rehabilita-
commitment to Borneo’s tion islands, and purchase
largest rescue center in fire-fighting equipment for
2007 by allocating $105,000 the Nyaru Menteng staff.
to the Nyaru Menteng The remainder was a
Orangutan Reintroduction
$25,000 gift from OC sup-
Project in Central Kaliman-
tan in order to buy food and porters, which was used to
medicine and construct new buy food, medicine and vital
facilities for orphaned apes. supplies. and a $5,000 grant
The majority of the funds from the Great Ape Trust of
came through a $75,000 Iowa.
grant from the Arcus Foun-
dation’s Great Apes Fund, (Related story, page 4)
which helped build 24 newPage 2 VOICES FROM THE WILDERNESS
VOICES
From the Wilderness
ORANGUTAN CONSERVANCY
Volume 10, No. 1
P.O. BOX 2113
APTOS, CA 95001-2113 USA
Table of Contents
OC HONORARY PATRONS
OC Launches Orangutan Crisis Coalition.…..Page 1
Dr. Jane Goodall, Dr. E.O. Wilson, Djamaludin
Suryohadikusumo, Suwanna Guantlett
OC Targets Funding for Nyaru Menteng……..Page 1
ADVISORS
Dr. Amory B. Lovins, Dr. Willie Smits, Dr. Cheryl Brookfield Zoo Workshop Report…………......Page 3
Knott, Dr. Tim Laman, Dr. Herman Rijksen,
Dr. Carel van Schaik, Dr. Mark Leighton
OC Steers Major Grants to Nyaru Menteng….Page 4
DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
UN Report Issues Dire Warning………………..Page 5
Norm Rosen, Chairman & Acting President
Roger E. Nelson, Michael Sowards, Dr. Anne Updates from the Field: SOCP…………………Page 6
Russon, Wayne Sowards, Christine Mallar, Shirley
Randolph, Dr. Rob Shumaker, Sarita Siegel, Linda
Keenan, Sandra Fenley, Juanita Kempe, Vanessa Updates from the Field: Gunung Palung….…Page 7
Rogier, Dr. Stacey Sowards
Barbara Shaw, Vice-President Updates from the Field: KOCP………………...Page 8
Doug Cress, Vice-President / Development
Margaret Clune Giblin, Corporate Secretary Updates from the Field: Wanariset…………....Page 9
Kevin Johnson, Attorney
Allison Kuze, CPA Orangutan Conservancy Merchandise……...Page 12
The Orangutan Conservancy (OC) is incorporated
in the United States as a 501©3 non-profit corpo- Voices from the Wilderness is an annual publication of the
ration. Orangutan Conservancy.
Our thanks to all of our extraordinary volunteers Newsletter design and layout by apeaction@aol.com.
and to you for giving when it is not always easy.
We recognize the sacrifice that you make for this
cause and we value your commitment. Contributors: Doug Cress, Sue Singh, Michael Sowards,
Shirley Randolph, Dr. Anne Russon
Copyright © 2007 Orangutan Conservancy, All
rights reserved. Please direct all questions, comments or requests for back
issues to Orangutan Conservancy, P.O. Box 2113, Aptos, CA
95001-2113 USA or write cmallar@orangutan.com.
In memory of Allen Hume.
Attention Federal Employees! You can make a lasting contribution to help orangutans!
Federal employees now have the opportunity to make payroll deduction contributions to The orangutan Conser-
vancy. It’s fast, easy, and can make a tremendous impact over time. Just designate The Orangutan Conser-
vancy, CFC #10819 as a donation recipient in the Combined Federal Campaign.
www.orangutan.comVOICES FROM THE WILDERNESS Page 3
Brookfield Zoo Focuses on Captive, Conservation
Concerns at 1st Orangutan SSP Workshop
Many believe the first Crisis Coalition (see page 1) successful if it provides a
Orangutan Species Survival agenda as part of the pro- starting point for protecting
Plan (SSP) Husbandry gram, and later took part apes. "Here we defined the
Workshop was long over- with OC vice-president Doug issues that we must face if
due. That said, it may still Cress in a conservation fo- we want these animals to be
have been in time to help rum that included media
save wild orangutans. from around the country.
The workshop, which was The OC also received a
staged October 16-18 at the $5,100 gift from the Brook-
Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, field Zoo as a result of pro-
successfully focused on is- ceeds from a silent auction.
sues of conservation, habitat The SSP is an Association
destruction, and illegal log- of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA)
ging, even as it addressed initiative that was begun in
over 125 delegates largely 1981 to manage the captive
rfrom zoos in the United populations of endangered
States and Europe. Eight species in North American
countries were represented zoos. More than 107 SSPs
and guest speakers from currently oversee the hus-
field projects in Borneo and bandry of 161 species.
Sumatra underscored the
urgency of the in situ situa- But the Orangutan SSP had
tion. never held formal meetings, around 50 years from now,"
making the Brookfield Zoo he told the Chicago Sun-
The Orangu- Times.
tan Conser- "Here we defined the issues that we must face if we want
vancy (OC) The workshop
these animals to be around 50 years from now..."
worked also presented
Vince Sodaro, Brookfield Zoo an opportunity
closely with
Brookfield Zoo organizers to for the OC to
workshop doubly important. build working relationships
help identify important topics With dire reports from the
and speakers. OC chairman with the zoos in Europe and
field as to the rapid disap- North America that care for
Norm Rosen unveiled the pearance of wild orangutans
organization’s Orangutan orangutans. As a result, the
and their habitat, topics such OC is already consulting
as the Indonesian pet trade with the Oregon Zoo, the
and oil palm expansion Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City,
shared the stage with enclo- Busch Gardens in Tampa,
sure construction and cap- and several other institutions
tive breeding in zoos. to prepare signage and in-
Speakers included orangu- formation campaigns that
tan field researchers such present the wild orangutan
as Cheryl Knott, Ian Single- crisis effectively to zoo visi-
ton, Serge Wich, Anne Rus- tors.
son and Suci Suci, and
more than a dozen dele- The OC was well repre-
gates had experience at sented at the workshop, in-
rehabilitation centers in ei- cluding board members Rob
ther Sumatra or Borneo. Shumaker, Roger Nelson,
Michael Sowards, Shirley
Vince Sodaro,the lead pri- Randolph, Barbara Shaw, in
Over 200 orangutans cur- mate keeper at the Brook- addition to Russon and
rently reside in U.S. zoos. field Zoo, said the confer- Rosen.
ence will only be judged
www.orangutan.comPage 4 VOICES FROM THE WILDERNESS
Arcus Great Apes Grant Highlights OC Funding
Drive in Support of Nyaru Menteng in 2007
The Orangutan extinction,” said
Conservancy Norm Rosen, chair-
maintained its long man of the Orangu-
-standing support tan Conservancy.
of Borneo’s largest “We are pleased to
rescue center in be able to help Nyaru
2007 by allocating Menteng in this cur-
more than rent crisis, but for
$100,000 to the how much longer can
Nyaru Menteng they keep taking in
Orangutan Rein- orphans at this rate?
troduction Project Something has to be
in order to buy done to protect the
food and medicine forest as well as the
and construct new animals that live
facilities for or- there.”
phaned apes. The Arcus Founda-
Nyaru Menteng director Lone Droescher-Nielsen tion grant, which was
The majority of the helps peel fruit for a juvenile orangutan, one of over one of only two made
funds came 600 orphans at the sanctuary in Central Kalimantan.
on behalf of orangu-
through a $75,000 tans in 2007, came at a time
grant from the Arcus Foun- cated 80 infant orangutans
dation’s Great Apes Fund, and rescued 223 adults in when Nyaru Menteng was
which helped build 24 new 2006, the highest number facing severe space limita-
quarantine cages, erect since the facility opened tions and the onset of an-
fencing along the rehabilita- eight years ago. nual fires that figured to
tion islands, and purchase The Orangutan Conser- push the orphan population
fire-fighting equipment for vancy has supported Nyaru ever higher. The funds also
the Nyaru Menteng staff. Menteng since 2000, and helped protect the rehabilita-
believes the orphanage –
The remainder was a tion islands that house older
which was created to care
$25,000 gift from OC’s sup- orangutans – some of which
porters, which was used to were featured on the Animal
buy food, medicine and sup- Planet documentary series,
plies. The Arcus Foundation Great “Orangutan Diary” – from
A $5,000 grant from the Apes Fund was created in 2000 unwanted visitors.
Great Ape Trust of Iowa was to support projects that promote
also directed to Nyaru Men- the conservation and welfare of
It is estimated that Indonesia
teng to support rehabilitation chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos,
orangutans, gibbons and sia- has already lost more than
projects.
mangs. In 2007, over $4.2 mil- 72 percent of its original
Nyaru Menteng is home to lion was awarded to programs in
over 600 injured and un- Africa, Asia, and North America. frontier forests, and contin-
wanted orangutans, many of For more information, visit ues to clear another one
which have been confis- www.arcusfoundation.org. percent each year. Much of
cated from poachers or ille- the recent devastation has
gal traders. Rampant defor- for less than half its current
orangutan population – is been caused by fires and
estation, hunting and human the rush to cultivate palm oil
encroachment in Borneo emblematic of Indonesia’s
deep environmental crisis. for overseas markets, which
have caused a recent surge
in orphaned orangutans, “Every day, orangutans is made worse by weather
and Nyaru Menteng confis- move that much closer to patterns such as El Nino.
www.orangutan.comVOICES FROM THE WILDERNESS Page 5
UN Report Warns of Peril for Orangutans, Blames
Rush to Embrace Biofuel Industry in Asia
Orangutans face serious
climatic and ecological
threats from global warming
and the oil palm trade, and a
recent United Nations (UN)
report indicates their long-
term survival may be more
precarious than ever.
Rampant illegal logging, le-
thal annual forest fires and
the massive conversion of
forests into plantations for
palm oil and pulp wood have
placed orangutans on the
world's list of endangered
species. An estimated
65,000 orangutans remain in
Borneo and 7,300 in Suma-
tra. A recent UN report indi-
cated that the habitat suit- A recent United Nations report warned that the orangutans’ natu-
able for orangutans would be ral habitat could be lost by 2022 at the current rate of destruction.
lost by 2022.
tans out of the forests into as a biofuel, as the expan-
A longer dry season will re- villages and plantations to sion of cultivation of oil palm
duce the abundance of fruits in Southeast Asia is associ-
look for food.
which will negatively impact ated with widespread defor-
orangutan populations since A new U.N. study, “Palm Oil
estation and violation of hu-
females are not likely to con- Not Green Asia,” empha-
man rights of indigenous
ceive when food is scarce. sized that Europe’s demand
people.
Climate-change will induce for “green-friendly” fuels
fires thus fragmenting the such as palm oil is coming The attraction of palm oil
habitat and reducing the at a high social and environ- plantations, which preceded
number of fruit bearing trees, mental cost in Asia. The the emerging demand for
which take many years to U.N. report cautioned coun- biofuels from Europe, stems
bear fruit. A combination of tries in the region against largely from the ease with
rising temperatures and de- following the lead taken by
which they can be grown
forestation is driving orangu- Indonesia and Malaysia, the
main producers of palm oil and the high profits.
The Orangutan Conservancy would like to thank its corpo-
rate and institutional sponsors for their support in 2007!
ERM Foundation—construction of canal blocks to stop the drainage of the valuable peat swamp forest in the
Mawas Conservation Area
UNOCAL—education program and project support
Great Ape Trust of Iowa (GAT)—support for the translocation of wild orangutans and education programs
Trimble Navigation Limited—GIS positioning instruments
Potrero Nuevo Fund, Tides Foundation—support for the translocation of wild orangutans and the nourishment
and care of orphaned orangutans at Wanariset
www.orangutan.comPage 6 VOICES FROM THE WILDERNESS
SOCP Welcomes Peace Accords, Battles Local
Politics in Effort to Protect Sumatran Orangutans
By Ian Singleton The SOCP also continues to centre than most of them
The peace accords that fi- rescue and rehabilitate do, and are located in a
nally brought calm to Aceh orangutans, including Bolo, very green and leafy loca-
in 2005 after almost six a female who underwent tion next to the stream and
years of separatist conflict follow-up surgery earlier this near the edge of the na-
have meant a gradual return year on her arm to remove ture reserve that backs on
to normalcy for the Suma- pins from the elbow that was to the site. Funding for
tran Orangutan Conserva- destroyed by a bullet wound these cages was kindly
tion Programme (SOCP). whilst being kept as a mili- donated by the Orangutan
tary officers “pet”. The pins Conservancy, the Austra-
Suaq Balimbing is now up were put in during her first lian Orangutan Project and
and running again. Students operation in December the kids of the Jakarta In-
from Zurich Univer- ternational School.
sity in Switzerland Bolo is one of the first
and one from the residents of these
UNAS (National Uni- cages, along with Tila
versity, Jakarta) are who has hepatitis B
now working at the and Leuser who is
site with SOCP staff, blind after being shot
along with Leuser in both eyes whilst in
International Founda- the forest (and else-
tion (LIF) and the where, 62 times in all)
Gunung Leuser Na- with an air rifle. Tila
tional Park Authori- still has to be kept
ties, to rejuvenate separate from the
research at the peat others but we intend
swamp site in South to try and mix Bolo
Sumatran orangutans are classified as “critically
Aceh. The area is of endangered” by the World Conservation Union and Leuser so that
particular interest to (IUCN), and it is believed that 80 percent of their both can benefit from
orangutan experts population has disappeared over the last 75 years. the companionship
due to the high den- until a more suitable
isities of orangutans 2005, in an attempt to avoid solution for the rest of their
and their tool-using behav- amputation and to allow her lives is found.
ior. All research activities to regain use of her hand.
ceased there in 1999 as a Finally, we are also
Bolo can now use all of the pleased to report that work
result of the fighting, but fingers in her left hand and
after the peace accord was on developing a conserva-
can tion strategy
signed -- and some early grasp
reconnaissance visits by for the
objects OC Facts Batang Toru
SOCP and LIF personnel -- relatively
we are delighted that scien- Orangutan Conservancy forests is
easily. recently funded the con- also pro-
tific work is one again under-
way at Suaq. The last year struction of cages and ceeding well.
also saw the publication of The training at SOCP In April 2007,
Carel van Schaik’s book SOCP more than 30
Among Orangutans, which also completed construction representa-
provides much more infor- of some new cages at the tives of the local govern-
mation on the Suaq orangu- quarantine in 2007. These ments and other stake-
tan population and explains are designed specially for holders of North, South
why we were so keen to get orangutans that must stay (Continued on page 10)
back there. longer at the quarantine
www.orangutan.comVOICES FROM THE WILDERNESS Page 7
Return to Gunung Palung Buoys Hope of Veteran
Researcher at GPOCP
By Cheryl Knott ics of a growing community continue our education,
The sights, smells and and constant pressures on awareness and habitat pro-
sounds were familiar when I the area’s orangutans, for- tection projects in the area.
arrived in Ketapang, West ests and
Kalimantan, Borneo, the natural
resources. OC Facts I was
headquarters of the Gunung thrilled to
Palung Orangutan Conser- I arrived in Orangutan Conservancy
Sukadana, helped fund infrastruc- finally
vation Program (GPOCP). make it
the largest ture and research at
Pungent dried fish were laid back into
town next Gunung Palung in 2007
out like dominoes in the the forest,
street side markets, the roar to the
Park, to find a completely and our
of all shapes and sizes of new Lubuk Baji environ-
motorbike – the standard new government: The
Ketapang regency, or mental education and ecot-
form of transportation here – ourism camp in the hills high
filled the air with a steady county, was split in two in
2007 and now the Park’s above Sukadana was an
hum and the toku, or shops, excellent place to explore. I
were bursting with color and orangutans must contend
with a new bupati, or mayor, counted dozens of orangu-
everything one could want tan nests as we trekked past
for the home, from rainbows crystal clear waterfalls and
of plastic buckets to shiny brilliantly delicate orchids.
rice cookers and the latest As we approached the
cell phones. camp, the late afternoon
The Ketapang community was filled with the sounds of
was alive, and it seemed as gibbons and leaf monkeys
though a good portion of it whooping and chattering
was at my first event in high up in the canopy. The
town, the successful camp, finished in early 2007,
“Gunung Palung Speaks is like a big two-story tree
Out.” This evening, organ- house in the forest, com-
ized by GPOCP and the plete with Dayak staircases.
Gunung Palung National We have already hosted
Park Service office at a local high school field trips, Park
outdoor cafe, gave citizens Service meetings and inter-
an opportunity to learn about national tourists.
the park and ask questions Two days later I got a
regarding its features and chance to visit Cabang
preservation. A large stage Panti, the Park’s jewel of a
was set-up outside with a research site. Closed three
wide screen back-drop pro- Illegal logging activities have
years ago due to illegal log-
jecting a number of new diminished in some key re-
search sites at Gunung ging, I was thrilled to arrive
films made at Gunung in a camp without the single
Palung. Live music, dance Palung
sound of a chainsaw and no
and skits were all part of the and the new challenges evidence of recent logging
presentation, and a fun night these changes will bring. activities. The site is a
out was had by all. We kept our community GPOCP and Park Service
As I met with GPOCP staff presence strong by partici- success story, and is now
and toured the area, it be- pating in the opening cere- being rebuilt. During our
came apparent that changes mony for the regency and first morning trek, we got no
were taking place, and the meeting the new bupati. We (Continued on page 10)
project was keeping pace look forward to developing
with the ever shifting dynam- close ties with him as we
www.orangutan.comPage 8 VOICES FROM THE WILDERNESS
KOCP Welcomes Projects to Remove Palms,
Restore Forests Along Kinabatangan River
By Marc Ancrenaz Although a 50-meter strip is will be a major chapter for the
The Kinabatangan Orangu- a narrow passage, this is a “USM Forest Management
tan Conservation Project good start for recreating a Plan”, expected to be pro-
(KOCP) was cheered by a true corridor of natural habi- duced at the end of 2007. This
number of developments tat along the Kinabatangan plan gives a major emphasis to
that included government River. Indeed, the KOCP the long-term conservation of
support for protecting the showed earlier that habitat the 2,000 orangutans that are
forest habitats of orangutans fragmentation was the major living in these forests.
and re-connecting their his- threat to the long-term Day-to-day activities at the
torical rangeland. orangutan survival in Kina- KOCP study site brought an
batangan. By restoring corri- interesting sighting of “Pak
In June, the Federal and dors of forests and by linking Lummun”, a flanged male that
State Governments officially the different lots of the sanc- had vanished from our study
launched a program aimed tuary we hope to rectify this
at claim- site for the past three years.
issue. The This new encounter indicates
ing back act of re-
all ripar- OC Facts claiming
that flanged males can leave
ian forest an area where they have es-
Orangutan Conservancy the ripar-
reserves tablished a regular presence
provided funding for ian forest
that had for extensive periods of time,
KOCP’s GIC Unit in 2007 reserves
been de- before returning. Etin and
has to be Sam, the two young sub-adult
stroyed seen as
and planted with oil palms males that we have been fol-
the first step for recreating a lowing over the past nine years
along the Kinabatangan natural situation where
River. One of the major are still roaming within our
orangutans, elephants and study site: they spend most of
threats to the integrity of the other species will be given
Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife their time in association, pay-
back a chance to roam ing a visit to their respective
Sanctuary is habitat frag- freely along the river.
mentation that is resulting mothers (Jenny and Maria) on
from extensive development A two-week field expedition an irregular basis.
of oil palm plantations, and to the Ulu Segama–Malua (Marc Ancrenaz is director of
this campaign consists of (USM) forest was conducted KOCP)
reclaiming the Riparian For- by KOCP in June. This ex-
est Reserve that had been pedition helped
planted with oil palms over a secure an ex- KOCP Reports Orangutan Twins
strip of about 50-60 meters tensive data
bank on Orangutan twins were spotted at least twice
along the river.
orangutans and recently at the Lower Kinabatangan region in
All palm trees will be other wildlife eastern Sabah, in what is believed to be the
chopped down and de- populations first-ever documented sighting of twins in the
stroyed as part of the cam- living through- wild.
paign, and native trees will out USM. This Cardiff University wildlife geneticist Dr Benoit
be replanted in order to re- information was Goossens saw the twins clinging to their
connect the different compiled in an mother at the banks of the Kinabatangan
patches of forest that are internal report river on Oct 23. Several days later, Kina-
found along the river and to report that has batangan Orang Utan Conservation Project
link up together all the lots of been submitted (KOCP) field assistant Mohd Daisah Kapar,
the LKWS. Approximately to the Sabah who was out on assignment to monitor pri-
200 palms were destroyed Forestry Depart-
mates, saw the mother and her twins at the
for the launching of the cam- ment. Our recom-
mendations for
Resang river, a tributary of the Kinabatangan.
paign, with several thousand Goossens said the babies were probably not
more due to be removed in managing wild-
the coming months. life within USM more than 6 months old.
www.orangutan.comVOICES FROM THE WILDERNESS Page 9
Wanariset Orphans Attend Forest School to
Prepare for Return to the Wild
It is a typical morning in the tween three to 10 months in a suitable site is found and
outskirts of Balikpapan City, the socialization phases, orangutans have shown the
East Kalimantan, and a band depending upon individual required elements to survive
of creatures with brown hair needs and physical develop- in a natural forest. Orangu-
walks alongside several hu- ment. tans that are release candi-
mans in uniform. Some of The Forest Schools are ar- dates are grouped according
these creatures hold them- eas within Samboja Lestari to correct sex-ratio, size,
selves on the humans’ feet that have been designated and age. All release sites
or are carried in the humans’ for use by orangutans for are studied initially to ensure
arms. This band of primates skill-learning in a natural the availability of fruit trees
is heading to the forest. forest. During the daylight and fallback foods. As an
This procession occurs daily hours, important official require-
at the orangu- ment and recommendation
BOS OC Facts tans are under the International Un-
Wanariset Orangutan Conservancy free to ion for the Conservation of
Orangutan helped fund the Samboja move in Nature (IUCN), there should
Reintro- Lestari Forest School in the trees be no viable wild popula-
duction 2007 (under tions of orangutans in any
Project in supervi- release site and the site
East Kali- sion, as should be geographically
mantan, Indonesia. Of data is collected daily) to isolated.
course, the brown-haired gain much-needed forest Knowing that conservation is
creatures are orangutans in expertise. They are taken to most effective when involv-
the midst of the rehabilitation sleeping cages only at sun- ing local communities,
process, and the humans down, where an evening Wanariset’s staff works
are babysitters and techni- snack awaits them. closely with local communi-
cians who accompany them. ties to raise support and
The forest where they are The older orangutans, who
have exhibited forest skills awareness. The center co-
headed is a place to learn operates with local farmers
how to survive in their new such as nest-building and
tree-climbing, are moved to living nearby to provide fruits
homes. and vegetables for the ani-
Wanariset currently houses the Halfway House, a small
forest area where they con- mals, and also carries out
219 rehabilitated oraguntans environmental education
and was established to reha- tinue to develop survival
skills. The average time an campaigns by visiting area
bilitate the orphans confis- schools.
cated by the government orangutan spends in the
and prepare them for release Halfway House is six
back into the forest. months,
although it
Once they have cleared is some-
quarantine, the orangutans times
are placed in Forest Schools longer, de-
with animals of a similar age pending on
and temperament. The vast the avail-
majority of orangutans arriv- ability and
ing at the center are under suitability of
10 years of age; therefore release
they are still in need of some sites.
social interaction and learn-
ing. The animals are ob- The final
served and records are kept release
of individual development. phase oc-
Orangutans may spend be- curs when Over 200 orphans are housed at Wanariset.
www.orangutan.comPage 10 VOICES FROM THE WILDERNESS
GPOCP Works with Local Communities to Establish
Legal Ownership of Rainforests, Halt Logging
(Continued from page 7) our partners to confiscate six
orphans in the first seven could help community
further than 400 feet from members improve their live-
months of 2007 in forests
camp before spotting an lihoods and find alternatives
near the park – where the
orangutan and her plump to logging and palm oil. I
threat from oil palm is every-
two-year old baby, high in a left Ketapang excited to be
where. I was happy to hear,
Syzygium tree. I recognized sharing in the success of
however, that five of the six
her as my old friend, Eliza- GPOCP and our local part-
were sent to experienced
beth, one of the females my ners. Challenges remain,
rehabilitation facilities and
team has followed for hun- but the leaps and bounds
they are all doing well. The
dreds of hours. On the trip we have made in the pro-
sixth was his own success
home we spotted another gram in its first seven years
story: GPOCP worked with
female and two juveniles is encouraging.
its partners to release him
peering from their well cam- I arrived in Jakarta with a
back into local forest with
ouflaged perch. Five full slate of meetings with
suitable habitat, as he was
orangutans in less than 24 government agencies and
judged to be old enough to
hours is encouraging! partners. The week ahead
survive on his own. The last
What a switch from my last we saw of him, he was eat- did not seem so daunting,
visit where we were faced ing well and doing fine in his however, as my experi-
with the shocking evidence new home. ences in Ketapang and the
of logging within the site. In National Park gave me con-
I got a chance to see first-
fact, reports are that all log- fidence to report all the
hand how we are helping to
ging has stopped in the Na- great work the staff and
combat the emerging oil
tional Park! partners have been doing in
palm threat through our visit
In the past few years, the to the village of Riam the past few years. I
rapid expansion of huge Berasap. This community headed home with
palm oil plantations has sup- came to us last year for help Ketapang’s sights, smells
planted illegal logging as the in their efforts to 'say no' to and sounds still fresh, ea-
number one threat to area palm oil companies planning. ger to update my family and
forests and orangutan popu- We are working with them to colleagues on these posi-
lations, although logging achieve legal ownership of tive developments, and al-
continues and is still a major their village forests to save ready looking forward to my
challenge in the areas bor- them from palm oil conver- next visit.
dering the Park. This was sion. My visit included a vil- (Dr. Cheryl Knott is the founder
evident in the reports I re- lage meeting where we of the Gunung Palung Orangu-
ceived of illegally held or- spent hours cross-legged on tan Conservation Program
phaned orangutans. (GPOCP); Jamie Kemsey of
the floor, sipping sweet hot the GPOCP contributed to this
GPOCP staff worked with tea and discussing how article.)
SOCP Welcomes Return to Research, Rehabilitation Activities
(Continued from page 6) thusiastic about the opportu- stakeholders and a compre-
and Central Tapanuli Dis- nities and each District has hensive management plan
tricts in North Sumatra un- already now set up a special for conserving this forest
dertook a study tour to East working group to develop area and its important
Borneo to see first hand how the concept further. Over the orangutan population, the
the Sungai Wain Conserva- next year or two the aim is most southern wild popula-
tion Forest is managed and to establish a consortium tion in Sumatra.
protected by the local gov- involving the three govern- (Ian Singleton is director of
ernment there. All were en- ments, NGO’s and other Conservation for SOCP)
www.orangutan.comVOICES FROM THE WILDERNESS Page 11
Orangutan Crisis Coalition To Seek Alliances with
Socially Conscious Corporations
In an effort to create awareness Among the companies and
and support for orangutan con- products the OC and the
servation issues, the Orangutan Orangutan Crisis Coalition
Crisis Coalition will seek to part- support are:
ner with socially-conscious cor- Newman’s Own
poration and manufacturers that
make product that do not harm Johnson & Johnson
orangutan habitats. Cadbury Schweppes
Although palm oil is found in Banquet
hundreds of household items —
and its harvest is responsible Dove
for the destruction of vast tracts Birds Eye
of rainforest — sustainable yield Heinz
palm oil is becoming increas-
ingly popular and does not farm Kellogs
orangutan habitats. Bertoli
Unilever
OCC Crafted to The Orangutan Conservancy would
Unite Parties like to thank its supporters and the
following organizations in 2007!
(Continued from Page 1)
Europe, primarily through zoo Arcus Foundation Friends of the Kansas City Zoo
programs and the promotion of Big Blue Foundation Great Ape Trust of Iowa
“orangutan-friendly” products Endangered Species Chocolate Great Beginnings (CA)
and companies. Preliminary
Folkmanis Happy Hollow Park and Zoo
talks are under way with New-
Gannet Foundation Henry Doorly Zoo
man’s Own, Johnson & John-
son, and H.J. Heinz, among Monkey Business Production Omaha Zoological Society
others, to promote their prod- ACE-Ape Conservation Fund Hogle Zoo / Utah Zoological Park
ucts in return for OCC sponsor- The Hankin Foundation Houston Zoo
ship and support. Wildlife Art Studio Jackson Zoological Park
Petitions will also be circulated Chevron Employee Matching Jardin Zoologique du Quebec
Program
at AZA institutions, calling for Kansas City Zoo Docents
the Governments of Indonesia American Association of Zoo- Milwaukee County Zoo / AAZK
keepers (AAZK)
and Malaysia to protect wild Oregon Zoo Foundation
Brookfield Zoo
orangutans and their habitat. Rocky Mountain AAZK
These petitions will be pre- Capron Zoo
Rolling Hills Zoo
sented by a delegation of U.S. Chaffee Zoological Gardens
St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis AAZK
zoo officials that is tentatively Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
St. Paul’s Como Zoo
scheduled to visit Southeast Cincinnati Zoo
Asia in 2009. Toledo Zoo
Columbus Zoo
Woodland Park Zoo
The OCC will also establish a Como Zoo & Conservation Soci-
ety Zoo Assistance Fund, Greater Los
keeper exchange program be- Angeles Zoo Association
Denver Zoological Foundation
tween the AZA and field pro- Zoo Atlanta
Erie Zoo
jects in Sumatra and Borneo.
Fresno Zoological Foundation
www.orangutan.comORANGUTAN CONSERVANCY MERCHANDISE IS
NOW AVAILABLE!
T-Shirts
Mugs Aprons
Hats
e
Help Sav Buttons Postage
Tote Bags
ns! Stamps
Oranguta
Magnets
Go to www.zazzle.com/orangutan to mix and match
your favorite colors and styles. A portion of the proceeds
of each sale will go to fund Orangutan Conservancy pro-
grams in Borneo and Sumatra.
Great Prices!
YOU CAN HELP ORANGUTAN CONSERVANCY HELP THE ORANGUTANS!
Adopt an orangutan
Donate your old cell phone and used ink cartridges to our recycling programs
Establish a legacy gift or charitable giving account
Buy a "Gift from the Heart" for your loved ones this holiday season Orangutan
Become an OC volunteer Conservancy is
listed with ebay’s
Become a member of OC today! Missionfish!
For more information on how you can help, visit us online at ID# 21363
www.orangutan.com and select “Can You Help?”
P.O. Box 2113
Aptos, CA 95001-2113 USA
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