The Tanjung Puting National Park Office (TN) together with the Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (KSDA) and the Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) released 13 individual orangutans into their habitat in the Tanjung Puting TN area, Central Kalimantan (Central Kalimantan). The release of the orangutan was carried out in 2 stages.
The first stage was carried out on Saturday (26/3) on 5 individual orangutans in the Sungai Buluh Kecil area, Tanjung Puting National Park. The five orangutans are Maxi (Male, 12 years old), Sembuluh (Male, 18.5 years old), Zattara (Male, 19 years old), Enon (Female, 24.5 years old) and Ernie (Male, 6.5 years old). who is the son of Enon.
The head of the Tanjung Puting National Park, Murlan Dameria Pane, explained that the orangutans released came from the community’s surrender and the results of the rescue of the Central Kalimantan KSDA Balai Team who were entrusted with care at the Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine OFI in Pangkalan Bun for rehabilitation.
“An orangutan is considered worthy to be released into the wild if it is able to find and choose the type of food in nature, is able to build a nest, has no physical defects that make it difficult for it to move, and has been declared healthy through a health test and a PCR test with negative results,” said Murlan. in a written statement, Thursday (31/3/2022).
Furthermore, as many as 8 other orangutans will be released in the near future in the Sungai Buluh Kecil area and the Natai Lengkuas area, Tanjung Puting National Park, namely Sunday (male 2.5 years old), Lear (male, 16 years old), Rich (male, 18 years old). yrs), Ola (female, 27.5 yrs), Olaf (male, 6.5 yrs), Mitchell (male, 18.5 yrs), Ling Ling (female, 26.5 yrs) and Rossy (male, 17, 5 years).
“This orangutan release is the first release in Tanjung Puting National Park during the pandemic, after 2 years there has been no release due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Murlan.
According to Murlan, the release of orangutans is carried out with the precautionary principle through a One Health approach. In addition, it also refers to the Circular of the Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation number SE.8/KSDAE/KKH.2/5/2020 concerning Technical Guidelines for the Release of Wild Animals During the COVID-19 Pandemic and implementing health protocols.
He hopes that the release of 13 individual orangutans will encourage an increase in the population of wild orangutans that can survive and breed in their habitat. On the other hand, Murlan also appreciates the people who have contributed to saving this protected animal that is the pride of Indonesia.
He appealed to people who still maintain protected animals to voluntarily hand them over to the State through the Central Kalimantan KSDA Center, by contacting the call center at 0811 521 8500.
“Orangutans are not pets, let them live in their habitat, carry out their ecological functions as forest farmers by spreading plant seeds in the forest for the preservation of the forest itself,” concluded Murlan.
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