Hopefully we’ll have more news from Hudi on his return from the stakeholder meetings in the Belantikan Hulu region. 

Thanks for your recent comments Theresa, Amy and Wanda (very sorry to hear about your dog Wanda but glad we could bring you some good news).

Thanks for all your support,

Cathy - Orangutan Foundation

 Please support our ‘Protect Me and My Tree Appeal’

On Wednesday 11 November 2009, the rescue team from Section II Natural Resources Conservation Agency of Central Kalimantan and Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine (OCCQ-OFI) rescued one big male orangutan from Tanjung Putri, a local village. The orangutan was 183 cms tall, weighed approx 80 kg and was about 20 years old.  Mr. Eko Novi (The head of section II of the  Natural Resources Conservation Agency of Central Kalimantan) gave him the name “Jejawi”.

Jejawi being transferred to the speedboat

Orangutan is transferred by speedboat.

Mr. Eko Novi coordinated with Tigor, the Reintroduction Manager of Orangutan Foundation, for the translocation process. After medical observation by Dr Popo (OCCQ-OFI Vet) and Dr Fiqri (Lamandau Vet of Orangutan Foundation), on Friday 13th , Jejawi (the orangutan) was successfully translocated to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, the same place where Bruno, the sun bear, was released.

Mr. Eko Novi said this is a good moment to participate in Pekan Peduli Orangutan (Orangutan Awareness Week) with real action to help the orangutan to get a new life in safe habitat.  

When the door of the transporter cage was opened, Jejawi immediately move out from the cage, he looked around for a second and then with fantastic speed, moved and reached the branch, he climbed the trees, and then moved to other trees, climbing until reaching the canopy.  We hope Jejawi is now free for a better and safer life in the Lamandau reserve.

Back in the trees, hard to see - as orangutans should be! 

The Orangutan translocation story was already published in Metro TV (the Indonesian television station) for News Program, and published in Borneo News (Central Kalimantan news paper) to encourage orangutan conservation awareness.

Thank you,

Hudi WD

Programme Coordinator

Please support our ‘Protect Me and My Tree Appeal’ - keep these orangutans in forest where they deserve to be.

Brian and Rosa - © Orangutan Foundation

When tired of playing and jesting, Brian climbs and hangs about the cage, and Rosa jiggles the cage or lies about.

Brian and Rosa - interacting. © Orangutan Foundation

After Brian’s contented with playing and hanging he moves close to Rosa, strokes her, then pulls Rosa’s hair until it hurts her and she responsds by pulling Brian’s hand, slowly and carefully. Brian then bites Rosa’s hand, after which he runs and climbs over to the opposite corner. Brian repeats the same behaviour several times. It seems as though Brian is using this to make closer with his “new Mom”.

 Brian heckling Rosa © Orangutan Foundation

Brian has adapted to his new environment and situation. He knows when it’s feeding time and the Camp staff start preparing fruit and milk.

Feeding time © Orangutan Foundation

When Rosa and Brian are given fruit, Brian always heckles Rosa and takes her fruit. Rosa is wise and very patient and shares the fruit with Brian.

 Brian and Rosa -sharing fruit. © Orangutan Foundation

They seem to have developed a very strong bond and we are planning on letting Brian and Rosa out of their cage this week. 

Thank you,

 Dr Fiqri (Vet of Lamandau Orangutan Release Programme).

Please support our ‘Protect Me and My Tree Appeal’ -to help keep the orangutans in Lamandau free.

Thank you!

Apparently the article reveals that AAL is no longer in a position to endure the pressure from those “environmental NGOs”. The spokesman laments about the tragedy that 700 plantation workers will loose their job. AAL still hopes for a win-win solution in dialogue with those environmental NGOs. Paneco and YEL (Foundation for a Sustainable Ecosystem), PanEco’s partner NGO in Sumatra are identified as “such pressuring NGOs”.

The statement from YEL’s chairman, Sofyan Tan, is poignant.

“There’s no win-win-solution! The Tripa concessions must simply get out, as they destroy an ecosystem unique in the world. Once Tripa is protected, funds will come to the government in Aceh. Just think of the immense carbon stock preserved in the peat”.

We will keep you informed about any developments.

Serambi Online
PT SPS Nagan Raya Terancam DitutupMEDAN – Perseroan Terbatas (PT) Surya Panen Subur (SPS), anak perusahan PT AAL (Astra Agro Lestari), yang mengelola sekitar 2.500 hektare lahan sawit di Desa Pulo Kruet, Kecamatan Alue Bilie, Kabupaten Nagan Raya, terancam ditutup. Kepala Proyek PT SPS Ir Djoniadi kepada Serambi, Kamis (29/10) mengaku tak kuat lagi membantu sekitar 700 orang di lokasi itu. “Benar, kalau dulu sekitar 700 orang masyarakat yang ada di sekitar wilayah itu kehidupannya kami tanggung, namun sekarang hanya tinggal sekitar 400 orang saja, dan kemungkinan dalam waktu dekat ini seluruhnya akan di PHK,” katanya.

Dia mengatakan, jika perusahaan tidak beroperasi maka dampaknya sangat besar terhadap masyarakat sekitar. “Bayangkan saja, warung-warung yang di sekitar itu saja bisa memperoleh pendapatan ratusan juta rupiah per bulannya,” ujar Djoni. Terhadap akan berhenti beroperasi perusahaan, Djoni yang didampingi Comodity Development area Manager PT SPS, Ir Basyir Hasan mengaku karena tidak tahan terus-terusan dipresure beberapa LSM setempat.

Makanya sebelum perusahaan ini ditutup, mereka masih terus mencari solusi untuk duduk bersama dengan berbagai LSM. Saat ini sudah mengarah untuk duduk bersama memikirkan jalan keluar untuk menyelamatkan ratusan masyarakat yang ada di sekitar itu. PT SPS sebuah perusahaan sawit yang menerima yang menerima HGU dari Pemkab Nagan Raya sekitar 5.000 hektar dan selebihnya diambil alih dari PT Agra Patra Citra tahun 2007. Hingga hari ini kata Djoni sudah tak lagi melakukan kegiatan. “Kami saat ini cuma merawat sekitar 2.500 hektar lahan. Ini baru tergarap. Kami belum membuka lahan, masih memperbaiki lahan yang rusak, yang kami beli dari Agra Patra Citra,” tegasnya.

Dikatakan, di daerah tersebut bukan SPS saja yang beroperasi. Sejak 1920-an hingga sekarang sudah ada perusahaan lain yang beroperasi di Rawa Tripa tersebut. “Kini, ada masyarakat yang memiliki modal besar, membuka lahan kebun di Rawa Tripa, kenapa tak disorot,” ujar Djoni. Ia masih memberi harapan jika masih ada solusi dan kesepakatan yang baik. Lebih dari 700 masyarakat nantinya bisa mereka rekrut kembali. “Nantilah kita lihat ya, bagaimana jalan keluarnya,” ujarnya.

Sementara itu, Dr Sofyan Tan, salahseorang dari LSM yang ikut mempresure kegiatan PT SPS selama ini yang dihubungi terpisah menampik disebutkan LSM yang dipimpinnya Paneco “menggoyang” beroperasinya PT SPS. “Kami bukan menggoyang, kami ingin menyelamatkan hutan Aceh. Jika Pemkab setempat ingin uang, ya silahkan, tapi rasakan nanti bila terjadi lagi tsunami,” ujarnya. Bagi Sofyan Tan, tidak ada kata-kata solusi. Rawa Tripa, katanya harus diselamatkan, SPS harus hengkang dari situ. “Rawa Tripa itu, satu-satunya kawasan di dunia ini yang harus dijaga. Rawa itu memiliki kekayaan alam yang tak ada di daerah lain,” katanya.

Tentu ujar Sofyan Tan, dengan menjaga hutan, uang pasti akan masuk ke kas daerah. “Di rawa itu ada penyerapan karbon yang lebih tinggi, yang bisa dihasilkan pemkab setempat dan Pemprov Aceh. Lebih baik perusahaan itu ditutup saja,” ujarnya.(lau) 

Orangutan Foundation office, Elly, volunteer Peter (in wig), Ashley and Kristina  going orange! 

Today - watch the TV game show, Countdown,  on Channel 4 - Rachel Riley the show host’s assistant is wearing orange to raise awareness about orangutans!

Rachel Riley -going orange!

Le Pain Quotidien are supporting us once agin by having collections throughout their London stores and all staff are wearing orangutan stickers!

Crussh juice bars are donating 50p from every freshly squeezed orange juice.

G-wiz - on it way to Cambridge

 G-wiz and its larger taxi friend in Cambridge -both raising awareness about orangutans.

G-wiz, the electric car lent us a bright orange car last weekend. Trevor Wright one our amazing ambassadors spent his weekend in Cambridge raising funds and awareness for orangutans and their rainforest home.

National Geographic Kids magazine and the National Geographic store helped us to celebrate Orangutan Awareness Week with an  children’s orangutan activity day and a poetry competition.  Charlotte Uhlenbroek judged the competition and Anthony Browne, the Children’s Laureate, came along on Sunday 8th to award the prizes and talk to the participants.

Read the winning poems  

Thank you Bonnie D and Nicole D for your donations this week. All money raised will towards our Protect Me and My Tree Appeal - please support us!

The tickets are valid on any Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday between 17th and 31st Decmeber 2009 and are worth £120! (almost US$200!)

We need an opening bid of £40 (approx US$65) to start the auction off…please leave a comment on this post to place your bid. The person who has pledged the highest amount at 10pm (UK time) on Sunday 15th November will be the winner. The winner will then make their pledged donation through this blog’s donation button.

Don’t miss your last chance to see the English National Ballet’s magical production of The Nutcracker this Christmas!

Yayorin’s theme for Orangutan Awareness Week 2009 is ‘Planting trees for the future’. They are targeting villages surrounding areas of orangutan habitat.

School Presentation - photo © Yayorin

Their school campaign involves presentations, mobile library, film show, quiz and games.

 Quiz and games - photo © Yayorin

Mobile library - photo © Yayorin

At the community level they have organised an exhibition, puppet show and film show. 

Film show - photo © Yayorin

Puppet show - photo © Yayorin

On Sunday 15 November, Yayorin we will be planting trees in Tanjung Putri village and in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve buffer zone. In total about 1500 trees will be planted by students and communities. 

Seedlings to be planted - photo © Yayorin

Yayorin will also be promoting “cheap in your own land” - a campaign to change the slash and burn agriculture method to sustainable permanent agriculture. 

Yayorin’s Orangutan Awareness Week 2009 badge ‘planting trees for the future’, which they produce and give away for free.

We’ll post about what we’ve been up to in the UK tomorrow, Orange for Orangutan Day - go on, go orange and support our work, it’s not too late!

Thanks,

Cathy

Orangutan Foundation - UK office

Stephen blogged about Tut last October when her 2 year old orangutan infant was killed by a pig.

Tut and her 6 day old baby -photo by Ian Wood (www.agoodplace.co.uk)

Please support us during Orangutan Awareness Week!

Thank you,

Orangutan Foundation

This Thursday 12th is Orange for Orangutan Day - wear something orange or do something orange for the day - you can download posters or get more ideas from our website.

All money raised will go towards our Protect Me and My Tree Appeal - helping to keep orangutans that have been released in to the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve in the wild, where they belong.

Protect Me and My Tree!  Photo -Orangutan Foundation 

Do something for orangutans this week - spread the word, leave a message of support, join our pub quiz or make a donation!

A huge thank you from all of us at the Orangutan Foundation, in Indonesia and the UK.