With light at the end of the tunnel after a very difficult 2020 for all, we would like to offer some good news about how by working together we can make a real difference to the orangutans at the Sintang Orangutan Centre (SOC).
Masarang HK donated funds in December 2020 to the Sintang Orangutan Centre to help to support the care of all the orangutans, especially those particularly special to us: Victoria and Manfred. We have been able to help Victoria and many other orangutans at SOC for many years using the generous and long-term support from schools in HK, especially the Victoria Shanghai Academy. Victoria is therefore named after this school. Manfred’s stay at SOC has been sponsored by a kind and generous donor. He is therefore named Manfred in honour of that donor.
Please find some lovely images and the latest information about Victoria and Manfred below. Critically endangered orangutans really need as much help as they can get and we remain grateful for any support possible.
We would also like shout (!) a special thank you to a recent Euro 2,000 donation by Germany-based Lebensraum Regenwald. Roland, Sonja and Christoph from Lebensraum Regenwald are volunteers and they have been supporting projects founded by Willie Smits for many years, especially reforestation and orangutan protection. They are extremely dedicated and also work with Benni Over to raise much-needed funds.
Thank you to Lebensraum Regenwald for this generous donation.
Team Lebensraum Regenwald: L-R Christoph, Roland and Sonja
An Update of Manfred and Victoria (January-February 2021)
We have moved some orangutans from Sintang to Jerora. We also plan to move the Quarantine Center from Sintang to Jerora. The construction of a clinic, isolation cage and socialization cage in Jerora has also begun. We look forward to the time that Jerora will function as an orangutan quarantine centre, as well as a forest school.
At the moment, Jerora Forest School only has one big forest enclosure, the facility was used alternately by orangutans there. There are 3 groups of orangutans in Jerora Forest School and each group will live in the forest enclosure for a week, the other groups stays in the big cage that is connected to the forest enclosure, until it is their turn to go back to the forest enclosure. This is rather like students going to the playground and/or sports field in rotation and not all day every day, though we hope that more facilites will allow more orangutan groups to enjoy the forest enclosure for a longer time.
Manfred
Since joining the forest school program in October 2020, we are delighted that on January 20, 2021, Manfred finally began attending forest school in the big forest enclosure. He and Tom joined Victoria’s group. When he first entered the forest school, Manfred seemed curious about all the orangutans there, such as Beno (male, 13 years). Manfred pulled Beno’s hair and beard, but Beno merely ignored him. He was also curious about Boss Benni. When Boss Benni was climbing a tree, Manfred came over and tried to pull Boss Benni while he was climbing. He needs to learn quite a few manners soon! Manfred looks really excited when in the forest enclosure because he made some new friends like Boss Benni and Victoria. Additionally, because it was fruit season, Manfred really enjoyed eating the leaves and fruits in the Jerora forest. While in the forest enclosure, Manfred didn’t like to drink milk too much. He preferred to find his own food such as leaves, rattan and roots.
He and Tom are also hard to find in the forest because they like to play to the middle and to the edge of the forest. Manfred is also often carried by Tom making it even harder for the keepers to find them. Even though he made many new friends, Manfred still cries when Tom is far from him. He would look for Tom and ask to be carried.
Manfred needs to learn to be a bit more independent, but with time we hope he will learn this necessity.
Manfred and Tom
Manfred in Forest School
Manfred and Boss Benni
Victoria
Victoria loves meeting Manfred, her new friend at the forest enclosure. Victoria loves playing with Manfred so much, she forgets to eat food and drink milk! They climb trees and explore the forest together. Victoria likes to grab Manfred’s hand or leg while climbing trees. Victoria doesn’t want to leave Manfred or Tom when she plays and she regularly follows them. Victoria also likes to play in puddles. She plays in the puddles like she is taking a bath, the cloudier the water is, the happier she is. It is best not to get too close when this is happening!
Victoria
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