Chris is a lovely young female orangutan that is about 5 years old and was rescued from a very remote area called Sandai, which is around 7 hours driving from our Sintang Orangutan Center. Originally she came from an even more remote forest area but she was bought by the people from where she was confiscated when she was still a very little baby, from the poachers that had killed her mother and taken her with the specific purpose of selling her.
This is the cage where Chris was held for many years…
The people who had her for almost 5 years kept her in a very small cage and also put a chain around her neck. Chris had this chain around her neck for over 2 years, which the “owners” felt was necessary after she became too active…also known as playful! From the picture you can clearly see how deep the chain encircled her neck…
For food, Chris mainly got rice mixed with some clear soup, sometimes some fruits and lukewarm water. They were probably afraid normal tap water would give her an upset stomach, so they would boil it first and let it cool down a bit. According our vet Dr. Vicktor health condition looks quite satisfactory under the circumstances at first sight. Willie also spent time with her and felt that considering her 5 years of ‘solitary confinement’, physically she was still remarkably well, although obviously her climbing skills were still very haphazard.
When the forestry police and our SOC paramedic wanted to move her into the transport cage, which was filled with leaves, she was so excited to see the leaves that she ran straight into it! Often orangutans rather would like to be outside than inside a cage! However Chris did not mind, she immediately started playing enthusiastically with the green leaves that she had probably not seen or experienced for a very long time.
Now Chris is in quarantine at the Sintang center and we are awaiting the results of her blood tests. She is still quite shy but she did come to Willie and let him touch her cheek, one of the special places where orangutans will let people touch them if they trust them. We have named her after Chris Durbin, as ESF Hong Kong, a loyal supporter of our conservation and education work in Indonesia.
The family and neighbours of the family that had Chris were not pleased with the visit of the forestry police car and the rescue team!
Here is Chris in the transport cage with the fresh leaves that she probably had not had in a very long time. Her facial expression is a mixture of interest and long-term sadness.
Here Chris is already at the Sintang Orangutan Center and enjoying her first lessons in wild jungle fruit. She is not sure yet about this delicious Baccaurea fruit . If all goes well she should be on her way to forest school soon.
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