Nenuah Flies to New Home in Protected Forest

YAYASAN BOS

Officers from the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) release orangutans in Katingan, Central Kalimantan, Wednesday (15/1/2020).

After 16 years of rehabilitation, Nenuah, a 19-year-old female orangutan, was escorted to her new home. She was taken by helicopter to the protected forest of Bukit Batikap, Murung Raya regency, Central Kalimantan.

Before setting foot in the new place, Nenuah was invited to experience what could be a first in Indonesia. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the process was carried out by air.

This method saves time and minimizes the potential for transmission of Covid-19. It is understandable because the genome of the orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is identical to that of humans by 97 percent. There were nine other orangutans transported together with Nenuah.

From a camera, which was placed in the box, she often peeked out through the small hole.

Transported on a Bell 407 helicopter belonging to the Hevilift company, Nenuah looked calm in a box tied to a haul net. From a camera, which was placed in the box, she often peeked out through the small hole. However, due to the strong shock, she clung to the iron bars several times.

Luckily, the air trip from Kuala Kurun, Gunung Mas regency, to the protected forest of Bukit Batikap took less than an hour. The duration can take 2-3 days if using the land route. Upon arriving at the location, a number of officers greeted her. They wore personal protective equipment, such as hazmat suits, masks, gloves, face covers and headgears.

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Veterinarians Vivi Dwi Santi and Agus Fahroni from the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation immediately examined Nenuah. It was confirmed that the orangutan did not vomit, shiver, cough, have diarrhea, or get sick on the way. Similar to human beings who are frequently in sickness in a travel.

According to Agus, for both land and air travel, he must ensure that orangutans are healthy and ready to be released.

After that, the officers carried the boxes to several release points. A part of them were taken by foot, while others were transported by kelotok, wooden motorized boats. Travel time was eight hours.

Upon arriving at the location, Nenuah did not want to linger. She rushed out of the cage and straight up into the tree. It looked simple. However, for Agus and Vivi, Nenuah\'s agility had a double effect. When an orangutan occupies a new home, there is a hope that the protection of a forest area will be maintained. "The work is not finished, we have to monitor its movements for at least three months," said Agus.

For three months, Agus and other staff will take turns to collect data related to newly released orangutans. Agus has to wake up at 04:00 a.m. to the last place where the orangutan builds a nest. The reason is that orangutans usually wake up at dawn to explore the forest. Various activities are recorded, starting from seeing what they eat, the location for making their nests, to sleeping orangutans.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Orangutan activity in Margo Mulyo, Samboja District, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan, Friday (30/8/2019).

Bukit Batikap is a protected forest area that covers 35,000 hectares. This area is important because it is the upstream area of a number of big rivers in Kalimantan, such as the Barito River, which crosses two provinces along 890 kilometers, the Kahayan River which is 600 kilometers long, and hundreds of other tributaries. It functions like an infusion that delivers life to humans.

BOS Foundation CEO Jamartin Sihite explained that the release was the first since the pandemic hit Indonesia. "We also ensure that the released orangutans are free of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as the staff, ranging from doctors to field officers," he said.

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Until now, there are still 421 orangutans at the BOS Foundation\'s rehabilitation centers in Nyaru Menteng, Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, and Samboja Lestari, East Kalimantan.

Cannot be released into the wild

Located about 650 kilometers from Bukit Batikap, the conservation of endangered species typical of Kalimantan is also being carried out. Odom, 53, Operations Manager of the Arsari Center for Orangutan Sanctuary (PSO), Penajam Paser Utara district, East Kalimantan, recently focused on observing Bento, a 20-year-old orangutan. Before he was five years old, Bento was kept in a stable in Manado, North Sulawesi.

Already very dependent on humans, Bento could not be released. However, in 2019, he was returned to East Kalimantan so that he could continue to live in the nature of Kalimantan.

Bento has been like that since Iskandar, the 17-year-old orangutan we were quarantining, died of illness in January.

Since January 2021, Bento looked gloomy and often slept in the cage. He also often made long voices that were rarely done before. “Bento has been like that since Iskandar, the 17-year-old orangutan we were quarantining, died of illness in January. We are trying to provide new activities for Bento to avoid stress,” said Odom.

Currently Odom and his team provide more food to distract Bento, who is often given whole coconut. That way, Bento is active before consuming the content of the coconut.

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On an area of 19,000 hectares in Penajam Paser Utara, PSO Arsari started an asylum program for orangutans that could not be released to the wild. Bento, and previously Iskandar, are among the orangutans they care for. During the pandemic, health protocols at the place are tightened, visits are limited.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Orangutans playing at the Samboja Lestari Rehabilitation Center, Margo Mulyo Village, Samboja District, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan, Friday (30/8/2019).

"The visiting teams and outsiders are equipped with personal protective gear, such as masks, gloves and boots," said the veterinarian at PSO Arsari, Putu Suandhika.

Nenuah and other orangutans are now living in a new home. They can carry out the task of protecting the forest properly, without worrying about the pandemic. Because, there are people beside them who make sure SARS-CoV-2 does not attack the animals and humans.

(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo).