That was the slogan I once printed on T-shirts.
This was done for some of the more than 500 orangutans over many orangutan releases I have been involved with over the last 27 years. And this week three more orangutans named Digo, Tanjung and Liesje were able to join those others that we already returned to the jungle.
This last release took place on the 31st October, 2019, in the Betung Kerihun National Park. After a six-hour journey over a curvy and often bumpy road and another four hours travelling by boat over the rapids trying to avoid shallow rocks, we eventually reached the Sintang Orangutan Centre camp. This is at the border of the national park.
The orangutans had arrived earlier that day and I was most pleased to find them completely relaxed in the large temporary holding facility eating wild food and making nests with the many branches the staff had provided them as can be seen in the picture here.
Tanjung and her baby Liesje, were completely at ease, but when Tanjung saw and recognized me she came over and pointed to the lock to ask me to open the door. I pulled as hard as I could but of course the chains were much stronger than the force she and I could apply and Tanjung was content I had given it a real try and went back to relax in her nest. Digo in the holding area next to Tanjung and Liesje, had been watching carefully too and with little shrieks had been encouraging me to pull harder on the lock. Seeing we failed Digo decided the next best thing she could do was to ask me for a good neck and shoulder massage as I had done for her more than a year before.
After that, with darkness arriving at a great speed here at the equator, the sound of cicadas, frogs and lizards announced the approaching night and I returned to the wooden camp surrounded with tents for the many visiting supporters that were here for the special occasion of the orangutan release. Many of the guests enjoyed a bath in the cool fast streaming crystal clear water of the river. This water comes from the mountains still much further upriver and has been filtered by thick virgin forests that have been here for hundreds of millions of years and have not ever been cut or burned by people. Our camp site is beyond the very last Dayak village where we are in a very special and protected forest, which is part of the national park, deep in heart of Borneo. The head of the national park, Ferry Liuw, a friend, also joined the release and his staff was assisting SOC every step of the process.
We had eight visitors from Weesaapjes, a foundation for orphaned primates that was set up by my good friend Liesbeth van der Burgt, who passed away much too young. Little Liesje, the daughter of Tanjung and Mamat, a special male orangutan who has his own special story, was named after Liesbeth and these eight close friends from The Netherlands were here to jointly celebrate this special moment with us and to commemorate Liesbeth. Weesaapjes was run by Ingrid van der Locht, at the request of Liesbeth, before her death and she had the honour of opening the release cage of Tanjung and Liesje. We also visited the Jerora orangutan forest school where we built the Liez centre with the donation from Weesaapjes, and where Marco van der Aa, Liesbeth’s close friend, had placed the commemorative plaque a year before. Another touching moment.
We were also joined by the volunteers from Orangutan Rescue in the Netherlands, (orangutanrescue.nl) our main supporters of SOC, and by other Dutch supporters. Henk Kaskens, the Chairman of Orangutan Rescue nl, was accompanied by his daughter Femke, Hugo Wortel, the secretary, Corne, the treasurer and his wife Margriet Seyners, who also supports the adoption program and other activities of Orangutan Rescue. Willy van Mensvoort my friend since over 55 years and his son Simon also joined. Willy has continued to support the projects I founded for many years and is a wonderful networker. Willy, his wife Yvonne and their son, Simon, also have great passion for sustainability and protecting the natural environment.
I used to bring such pieces of wood, especially those with a bunch of small glowing mushrooms, to have light at night. This occurs as long as the wood stays moist. Then it was time to find a place to sleep under one of the many prepared mosquito nets and let the sounds of the jungle (and some loud snorers!) take over the night.
The next morning, on October 31st, 2019, after breakfast the official ceremony of our SOC centre (Dudung) took place, with the ‘handing back’ of the orangutans to the forestry police, who then handed them over to the head of the national park to become their responsibility. Then it was time for action and the boats left like clockwork as planned by the staff the previous evening. Further upriver we went for the release site. Some of us went up a small creek and made a little excursion in the rain forest where I told the visitors how all these components in the forest are intricately interconnected. Then we all headed to the release site to await the boat with the orangutans to arrive.
Everyone was able to experience why these tropical rainforests have rain in their name 😉 and it can be really cold during showers and on a moving boat with cooling wind.
At the release site we all waited anxiously for the boat with the orangutans to arrive. The visitors waited across the river from the release site till they could board the boats to watch safely from the water how the orangutans would come out and start their new life in freedom.
Then there was the moment we were all waiting for. Jointly pulling the ropes the first cage was opened by the head of the national, pak Ferry and the head of the regional forestry police, assisted by Dudung and Wilma a new supporter of the Sintang Orangutan Center the cage opened and Digo immediately rushed up a big liana for some 30 meters after which she stopped to explore her options. Shortly after it was the turn for Tanjung and Liesje. Ingrid of Weesaapjes pulled the cage open and Tanjung, and baby Liesje sitting on her head, went up another big tree also to then stop and quietly consider her plans. There were a lot of tears of happiness with the many witnesses.
On the right four people pulling the rope that set Digo free. From left to right the head of the forestry police office, Wilma (SOC supporter), Dudung (CEO) and Ferry Liuw (head of the Betung Kerihun National Park)
On the right Ingrid van der Locht of Weesaapjes pulling the rope that set Tanjung and Liesje free. It was a lovely sight to see Liesje sitting on her mother’s head going up the trees. High up there she already let go of her mother to explore some interesting fruits while Tanjung was looking down and planning her next moves.
I love this picture. The empty cage with the symbolically fading sticker of Liesbeth’s Weesaapjes foundation, Digo, Tanjung and Liesje up there, happy supporters in the boats. A moment to remember.
We know that we cannot solve all problems by just releasing these beautiful beings in this remote place but without doubt their new lives give us inspiration and hope. And then we were told some unexpected happy news. Juvi, the very first orangutan to be released by the Sintang Orangutan Centre, had just been seen again after one and a half year. Best of all… she was not alone. She was carrying a healthy beautiful orangutan baby clinging to her long hair! She had met a wild male and gave birth to this new life in freedom! What a precious gift! Here is a picture of the new successful mother. She looks very healthy and confident and the little baby can be seen clinging to her belly.
Thank you to all our wonderful supporters, Orangutan Rescue, Weesaapjes, Masarang and individuals that give us the chance to do this for our beautiful red haired cousins and give the world and them a little hope!
Willie Smits
A last look back at the forest and the orangutans going back downstream leaving the virgin jungle to them.
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