Dear Supporters of the Sintang Orangutan Centre. Here is a quick update of the release of the orangutan we named Indra to the protected area of the Betung Kerihun National Park. June 5th. Remember the poor big male orangutan with his smashed out teeth, the bullet in his left eye, the broken fingers, and the deep machete cuts in his back and hands and lips? His story was as so many others but his fortunately ended better!
His forest was destroyed and once before he had come to the gardens of the local people where he was so severely beaten that several of his fingers were permanently disfigured after being broken and some lost. Can you imagine what fear he must have had when starving and left with no choice but to go back and face the people again?
The remaining trees were once part of his jungle, but the people losing their fruit reacted by punishing him. Badly. I will spare you the terrible pictures of his emaciated body and deep cuts from the machetes.
After four months of medical care and good nutritious food, Indra’s hair became shiny again and his strength returned. Despite the terrible condition of his smashed teeth, it turns out he is still able to crack hard fruit with his molars and he was able to climb good enough with his remaining usable fingers.
When all medical tests came back with good results it was time to release Indra to a safe area and the safest area we know at the moment is the Betung Kerihun national park where we have already released two groups of our Sintang Orangutan Centre orangutans. At that location there is virgin rain forest far away from people except our guards, boatsmen and orangutan technicians and there is a constant security presence at the only river based entrance to the jungle there and no one can enter without an official permit of the Ministry of Forestry.
So today I just received some pictures that I thought I share with you. I hope they make you smile. Dedi at the Sintang Orangutan Centre will send a much more complete update to you soon.
At the left the empty cage where Indra spent the time needed for his recovery. Above the arrival after a very long journey at the release site in the Betung Kerihun National Park. So much work but such reward to see Indra arriving back in his jungle!
And above is the moment that from a distance the Ministry of Forestry official and our guest Marco van der Aa pulled the rope to release Indra back to his jungle. Beneath is the picture of the proud group that participated in the release. Our vet, our paramedic, Dudung the CEO, our foreign guests and supporters, our local volunteers, our biologist, the officials of the Ministry of forestry, the boatmen and our permanent field staff that live there to monitor the released orangutans. All very pleased with the effort that took three days of hard work but gives such satisfaction.
This work is only possible thanks to the generous support of our donors.
Many thanks Orangutan Rescue (www.orangutanrescue.nl) and all others from around the world!
We are making a difference, especially to Indra and his fellow orangutans that are still in the jungle school waiting for their day to return to the canopy of this magnificent rainforest.
Willie Smits
What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.
— Nelson Mandela
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