The Nyaru Menteng Sanctuary
The Nyaru Menteng Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Indonesian Borneo is dealing on a daily basis with the fall-out from the destruction of the rainforests. There are over 600 orangutans at this centre in Central Kalimantan, which is operated by Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. Some of these are orphans whose mothers were brutally slaughtered – by workers in the oil palm plantations – whilst searching for food amidst the devastation of their habitat. Others are victims of poaching and the illegal pet trade, and have been rescued from a life of incarceration and utter misery.
They are likely to spend between 10 and 12 years at the Centre, where they are loved, cared for and put through a gradual process of rehabilitation. The eventual aim is to release – into safe and protected areas of rainforest – those who will be able to adapt to life in their natural habitat, and to fend for themselves in the wild.
When these little orangutans are brought into Nyaru Menteng, they are nurtured 24 hours a day by a team of dedicated local Dayak men and women, and once they’re old enough, they are taken into the forest on daily excursions, to learn how wild orangutans live. They’re taught how to forage, to climb trees, build nests and are alerted to the dangers that exist in the forest.
At the age of about 8 years, those who are ready for the first stage in their release are relocated, in groups of about 25, to a neighbouring island, where they live a semi-wild existence for at least 18 months to two years. They are, however, fed daily and monitored, to check for illness, injury or an inability to adapt to their new lifestyle, and only those who are absolutely ready to return to the wild will be released.
Adult orangutans who are injured, ill or starving, and unable to fend for themselves in the wild, are also taken in by Nyaru Menteng. They are nursed back to health by the on-site veterinary team – although with as little human contact as possible, so that they can be released back into the wild at the earliest opportunity, once they’re completely fit and well again.
Comments
Comment from jackieb
Time February 3, 2012 at 7:34 pm
Thank you sooooo much for all the great work you do for these beautiful creatures.
Comment from Jennifer Andrews
Time May 7, 2012 at 11:51 pm
I loved the show Orangutan Island on Animal Planet and continue to enjoy wathcing the repeat shows, but I would love to see a new season of this show and to see how the graduates of that show are now doing!! My absolute favorite is little Jordan-with his lower lip always hanging down and the odd facial expressions he has just caught my heart! I truly hope you will be making another new season of this show and I will making a donation to BOS Nyaru Menteng this month! Never give up on these truly amazing and beautiful creatures and we are all very blessed to have Orangutans in our world!!!
Comment from Joan Wilson Manchester
Time July 15, 2012 at 5:26 pm
i watched the release video and i had goosebumps, ive just read reflections of Eden by Birute and it was very well written and informative. i totally agree with jennifer’s comments, would love to see whats been happening to some of the ones we were acquainted with on the show. thank you to all the dedicated people ensuring the the wondrous orangutans survive for as long as the planet can sustain them. why cant all mankind think about the precious animals who have a right to this planet as we do, if we really put our hearts in it we can live together with a few tweaks hear and there. thanks for being there from myself and many others who regard all life as special. thank you
Comment from Jeannine Denning
Time November 9, 2011 at 3:28 pm
I watch the orangutans at 5 AM every morning on Animal Planet