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ISSUE 40 SPRING 2013

Considering how many times Aan was shot, she is in remarkably good shape physically. But, Leiman adds, ‘I noticed what looked like lesions over her arms and legs, and then I realised it was the pellets under her skin. They don’t cause any discomfort, though, and so there was no need to put her through more surgery to remove them.’

Aan’s rescue was one of three that took place over a four-day period. A male, Herlino, was rescued from an oil palm plantation. Little Joson was found in a small, cramped cage, being kept as a pet. Both have now been successfully translocated into the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.

Herlino and Little Joson now have the chance to live as wild orangutans should, but because of Aan’s blindness, a future for her outside her enclosure is uncertain. Says Leiman, ‘Still young, she will need a lifetime of care, and with your help, we will ensure we are able to provide this.’

BLIND BUT ALERT, AAN SURVIVES 100 GUNSHOTS

Some of you may have heard the story of Aan, a female orangutan who was shot more than 100 times with an air gun. She needed a three-hour operation to save her life, and during the procedure, Dr Zulfiqri, a vet from the Orangutan Foundation, managed to remove 32 of the pellets from her head and body. When she was found, in an oil-palm plantation, she had been blinded in her left eye, and during the operation she lost the sight in her right one. It meant that her food and water had to be placed in her hands.

Three months from her operation, Aan is settled into a new, specially designed enclosure in Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Central Kalimantan. Wooden slats allow sunlight into her large cage, reducing

the possibility of dampness. Because she was understandably very wary of humans, she had to be sedated before being transferred to her new home, and the team, which took the opportunity to weigh her, discovered that she had gained a full kilo since being rescued.

She is clever, too. Relying on taste, smell and touch, she can still be selective about her food – discarding any fruit that isn’t up to her standards.

Orangutan Foundation director Ashley Leiman, who visited Aan, says, ‘My first impression was how active she was, always moving. With plenty of ropes, there was always something at hand to hold on to, and it was hard to believe she was blind. She doesn’t like people to get too close to the enclosure and responds with loud kiss squeaks and grunts. Given branches and leaves, she attempts to make a nest on the floor, though she has also has a hammock made from half a tyre.’

THIS IS THE STORY OF A MIRACLE, BUT IT’S ALSO A REMINDER OF THE PRICE ORANGUTANS ARE PAYING FOR THE SPREAD OF OIL PALM PLANTATIONS.

Above: Pellets being removed from Aan.

Main picture: Aan being examined

shortly after her rescue.

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A PERSONAL MESSAGEWhen Ashley asked me to write the column for this issue, we discussed the frightening expanse of oil-palm plantations, the planned opening up of 1.2 million hectares of forest in Sumatra and the issue of human/orangutan conflict. But what came to my mind was the positive contributions that we have mentioned in this newsletter – the pro bono work by The One Off and the Body Shop Foundation trekkers, who went beyond their fundraising targets.

Having both volunteered for and worked for the Orangutan Foundation since 2000, I have often been surprised, inspired and humbled by what people have done to support our work: a teenager selling a life-long collection of toys; Terry Pratchett’s recent BBC2 film highlighting the plight of orangutans; members who regularly send in the money from their collection tins or their book or cake sales at work; our volunteers behind the scenes at the Foundation, who offer their time and skills on a daily basis. They’re all different but have a common purpose: to help orangutans and their forest home.

This also extends to Indonesia and to our dedicated staff and partners. Close to my heart is Kampung Konservasi, Yayorin’s conservation village. It is a shining example of how people can make a difference and how beautiful small can be.

Sadly, this is the last issue of Red Ape that I will be working on, as I am leaving in the summer to start training as a teacher. So thank you for inspiring me, and please keep up your valuable efforts. They really do make a difference.

Cathy Smith

Gliding through the waters of the Sekonyer River, one of the natural borders of Tanjung Puting National Park, many a traveller with the Orangutan Foundation has been entertained with stories of what lurks beneath their boat. But it’s not just the crocodiles that deserve our attention. One of the three research grants given by the Foundation and the national park in 2012 funded an investigation into the variety of fish species in the Sekonyer and one of its

tributaries, the Sekonyer Kanan. Despite being part of the same river, the water conditions offer a strong contrast. The main Sekonyer suffers from pollution from an illegal gold mine in the park, visible even to the untrained eye in its far muddier, more opaque colour.

From the six sampling sites, three in each section of the river, 42 species were counted, each identified through its body shape, length and height, the type and colour pattern of the scales and the shape of the fin and tailfin. Sketches are made of each fish and compared to those in guide books or previous research. Such research allows us to see the effect of water condition on the fish – and therefore on the ecosystems of the river.

HOW FISH HELP APES ONLY WHEN WE KNOW WHAT’S THERE CAN WE MONITOR WHAT’S HAPPENING TO IT. NOW THE FOCUS IS ON THE LIFE-GIVING SEKONYER RIVER IN TANJUNG PUTIN.

CALL FOR PICTURES TO PROMOTE A PARK

In a Orangutan Foundation-assisted research project, in 2009, 107 species of bird were discovered around Pondok Ambung Tropical Forest Research Station.Now there is a new initiative to create a guide book featuring the bird species found in Tanjung Puting National Park.

The park is one of the largest protected areas of tropical peat swamp and heath forest in Southeast Asia, accessible only by river and with at least 220 species of bird

and thousands of species of other animals and plants. The Orangutan Foundation will collaborate with Orangutan Foundation International and the park in the creation of the guide – providing photos, data and identification of the birds.

If you have a quality bird photograph from a trip to the park, please send it in so it can be considered for the book.

By supporting the Orangutan Foundation, you are enabling such research to continue. By monitoring the animal populations we are monitoring the ecosystems; any damage to the ecosystems could mean damage to the forest – and therefore the orangutans.

Pied hornbill, one of at least 220

birds found in the park. Pictures are needed

of all the others.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO TANJUNG PUTING NATIONAL PARK? IF SO, WE NEED YOUR PICTURES. YOUR REWARD? HELPING THE RESEARCHERS.

NEWS FROM THE FIELD

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HELLO SISWIAnd now some heart-warming news about an Orangutan Foundation favourite individual. After a spell of medical treatment in the Orangutan Quarantine and Care Center in Pasir Panjang, Siswi is back at Camp Leakey. A mischievous but very clever orangutan, she’s been known to open a locked door to find food. Welcome back to the forest, Siswi.

THE TIDIER RIVERAs you will know if you have visited Tanjung Puting, boats are absolutely vital for enabling visitors and guides to access many areas of the park. They are also a wonderful way to travel, chugging past the riverbanks as you scour the trees for proboscis monkeys, macaques and maybe an elusive orangutan. To maintain the river, the bakung (reeds) and fallen trees or branches have been moved to the river’s edge. Rubbish and litter, left by tourists, will also be removed, to help maintain a cleaner environment.

Gold mine run-off pollution of the Sekonyer River. The health of the fish depends on the state of the water.

Camp Leakey’s favourite orangutan – Siswi. Rescued as an infant and returned to the wild,

she regularly visits the camp and seems to crave human attention, possibly because

she is unable to have babies.

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THE SWINGING SINGLE SUPERMUMThe life of a single mother can be hard. But imagine how especially hard it must be raising a child on your own 100 feet above the ground.

A male orangutan plays no part in the upbringing of his offspring. Once the seven-to ten-day consortship with the prospective mother is over, he departs, possibly even to find another receptive female within his home range. This leaves the first female to cope on her own with the pregnancy, birth and rearing of the infant.

After a gestation period of eight to nine months, the mother will give birth in her night-nest. Normally an orangutan has a single baby – twins are rare. Like a human baby, it’s utterly dependant on its mother. For the next 12 months, she will be the infant’s whole world.

A female orangutan is in constant contact with her baby for almost the first three years of its life. She carries it with her as she moves (though when her hands are busy, the baby has to cling on without help). They sleep together in the same nest, which the mother builds new each night. She pays constant attention to the infant, who can suckle at will.

It’s a precarious balancing act for the mother, to make sure she finds enough food for herself while ensuring her child is always safe. A fall might well be fatal, and though bearded pigs wouldn’t dare to attack an adult orangutan, they have been known to attack and kill infants. Pythons and clouded

leopards also live and hunt in the canopy.

After a year, the young orangutan starts to explore but is never out of its mother’s arm’s reach. She still provides milk. But she also lets her child sample food from her mouth or hand. The young orangutan needs to learn what is edible.

This forest education continues throughout the next seven years. As rainy seasons come and go, swamps flood and dry out and trees fruit and flower, the youngster follows its mother, watching what she does, what she eats, how she reacts and where she goes.

Scientists term this creating a ‘mental map’ of the environment, and it is built up without words or language. Somehow the orangutan mother, without the aid of any other orangutan, equips her offspring with the strength, knowledge and skills to survive.

The final separation comes after the mother gives birth again. Unable to suckle two offspring, she finishes the weaning of her earlier one. This can be stressful. Sometimes she forcibly excludes the older infant. Other mothers tolerate the older one’s presence for longer, though still slowly denying the youngster’s access to milk and her nest. This way, the older child is encouraged to begin to live independently, to start the solitary existence that so characterises the species.

For the mother, such ‘tough love’ is essential as the whole cycle of single motherhood begins again.

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THE BODY SHOP BRIGADE

TRIPA SAVED THEN SACRIFICED

Many people associate The Body Shop with the exotic smells that waft from their high-street stores. But there is more to the organisation than soaps and shower gels. The Body Shop Foundation works for social and environmental change, and that includes the protection of endangered wildlife.

This year it sent a band of intrepid trekkers to Sumatra on a survival challenge to raise money to help the island’s critically endangered orangutans.

On 5 April, the 20 volunteers set off on a sponsored jungle trek. On their 16-day adventure, they endured leeches, high humidity, more than 35 kilometres

of rutted terrain and all the creepy crawlies of the forest. After facing fears and pulling together, the teams are back in the UK – sore and exhausted but no doubt proud of their achievement. And they should be. The amount raised was more than £40,000!

The money will help to support the Orangutan Foundation’s conservation work in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, which provides a home to about 700 Sumatran orangutans and many other endangered species. It will also help key measures such as habitat protection through guard posts and patrols, reforestation of degraded areas and orangutan monitoring. So a huge thank-you from all of us here at the Orangutan Foundation to those who took part. We hope your sightings of stunning Sumatran wildlife make up for the bruises and bites.

Welcome to Lamandau. It’s where rescued orangutans

are taken for release back into the forest.

WHEN A GROUP OF PEOPLE GET TOGETHER TO DO GOOD WHILE HAVING FUN, THEY CAN MAKE A TRULY ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTION.

THE STRUGGLE TO PROTECT THE RAINFOREST OF TRIPA – INVALUABLE FOR WILDLIFE AND LOCAL PEOPLE – EXPERIENCES A CRUEL SETBACK.

TOP SUPPORTThe Orangutan Project (TOP), run by the Australian-based conservation organisation Wildlife Asia, has supported the Orangutan Foundation’s work for many years in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, Kalimantan.

TOP funds have helped with the Camp Buluh and Camp Rasak release sites, reforestation in the Lamandau reserve and the construction of guard posts. These projects are vital to safeguard orangutan habitat and areas where there is the opportunity for former captive orangutans to be released into the wild. Protecting the rainforest is the single most cost-effective way to save our planet.

TOP also provides habitat protection through its Safeguard project – guard patrols that deter wildlife poaching, illegal logging and land-clearance in Borneo and Sumatra, thereby helping other critically endangered species, such as the Sumatran tiger, elephant and rhino, as well as indigenous communities.

The peat-swamp forest of Tripa, in northern Sumatra’s Aceh province, will not after all be the site of a particular 1605-hectare oil-palm plantation (see ‘The betrayal of Tripa’, Spring 2012), or so it was thought – because in October 2012 Aceh’s new governor, Zaini Abdullah, revoked the plantation’s permit. Though this was not before fires, deliberately set, destroyed large areas of Tripa. It was the first time in the history of the province that such a permit had been taken back.

For a forest that supports the

highest density of Sumatran orangutans, there was hope. But that was dashed in April 2013 with the announcement that East Asia Minerals, a Canadian mining company, had helped secure the reclassification of a massive 1.2 million hectares of Aceh – including all of Tripa – from ‘protected forest’ to ‘production forest’. That ‘production’ is to include mining, logging and, of course, oil palms.

If the governor of Sumatra’s Acch province allows various extractive industries to destroy the rainforest, not only do Sumatran orangutans stand to be locally wiped out, but so do Sumatran tigers, rhinos and elephants. It is the main region of the island where all four species exist together.

The landscape of a ‘production forest’, as oil palms replace rainforest trees.

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As part of the Foundation’s mission to reduce the conflict between orangutans and people, we are conducting an awareness campaign aimed at farmers, communities and private concession holders such as plantation owners. It includes:l an information leaflet for communities and concession holders; l meetings with target communities deemed to be at high risk of conflict with orangutans, to increase awareness of the regulations governing protection of the animals and guidance on how to deal with conflict – such as orangutans raiding crops; l staff visits to farmers whose land is adjacent to forest areas containing orangutans, to ensure they are able to make the correct decisions when responding to perceived threats from the apes; l workshops for oil-palm plantation owners and other major private-sector land-users, aimed at providing practical solutions to orangutan-human conflicts.

One of the key aims is to encourage land-users to take on more responsibility for setting aside protected areas for conservation, buffer zones and habitat corridors – areas that reconnect isolated remnants of the forest back to the main body.

The Orangutan Foundation’s partners in the project, which is supported

by the Rufford Foundation, are Yayorin (the Indonesian Orangutan Foundation) and BKSDA-Kalteng (the Bureau for the Conservation of Natural Resources in Central Kalimantan).

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

OUR NEW-LOOK LOGO

Two orangutans were seen in an oil-palm plantation in Kumpai Batu village, Central Kalimantan, in April, eating oil-palm fruit, according to Tigor Nainggolan, manager of the orangutan reintroduction programme in the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve.

Though the kernel inside is the basic source of the oil that that the plantations produce, the fruit isn’t normally considered to be good to eat directly by either humans or, evidently, orangutans. That the apes should resort to eating it is almost certainly a sign of a shortage of wild fruits, which in turn is

a sign of encroachment by oil-palm plantations. Though it’s rare for orangutans to be found eating the fruit, it’s not unprecedented. In June 2012, a female was found in and removed from a plantation in the Cempage district.

These and a few other instances are part of what the Foundation has called ‘a worrying trend’. The danger to orangutans is the obvious one of being treated as pests by plantation interests, but there’s also the possibility of poisoning from the heavy dosages of pesticides and other chemicals that are used on the plantations.

The site of a raid on oil palm fruit (evidence right).

Marooned. Orangutans are often found clinging to one of the last trees in an area cleared for oil palm.

APES HUNGRY ENOUGH TO EAT OIL-PALM FRUIT

AS ORANGUTAN HABITAT SHRINKS, THE ANIMALS ARE BROUGHT INTO CLOSER CONTACT WITH PEOPLE. SO NOW PEOPLE NEED TO BE SHOWN HOW BEST TO AVOID PROBLEMS.

We are delighted to introduce our new logo. We believe it represents all aspects of our work today and embraces our vision of a future for orangutans, forests and people. It has been a pleasure to work with The One Off consultancy, which donated their time and expertise, and we are extremely grateful for the guidance, patience and enthusiasm of the staff. We hand over to The One Off, the experts, to provide the story behind our new look.

We met with the Foundation team nine months ago and were humbled by their passion, commitment and persuasive, solution-orientated approach to the fight for the orangutan and local communities and the habitat they share. We have worked with a number of charitable projects where sustainability, global climate change and protection are the main themes, and the Orangutan Foundation answered all of these criteria.

We had already established TOO Green – an approach to sustainable design – to put action behind our words, working with the National Trust, English Heritage, Trillion Fund and the London Orchard Project.

We felt that that a single graphic icon depicting the three main areas of the charity would enable a powerful brand story to be told at speed, with variable

substrates and sizes, especially across gifts, clothing and event backdrops. Supporting patterns and fonts to further reflect and differentiate the specialist areas the charity operates were then added to provide brand identity across media. The colour palette reflected the natural tones associated with this subject.

To use our skills in branding, marketing and digital media to help the Foundation achieve its goals was seen as a great investment. We would encourage other consultants and experts to do the same as part of their commitment to humanity and the world we live in.

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AN EVENING WITH ORANGUTAN EXPERT JOHN MACKINNON:

‘Wallace the naturalist – legacy and relevance today’

12 November 2013, Linnean Society, London

This year marks the hundredth anniversary of the death of Alfred Russel Wallace, best

known for independently conceiving the theory of evolution by natural selection and co-publishing a paper on the subject with Charles Darwin in 1858.

Wallace carried out extensive fieldwork, where he identified what is now called the Wallace Line that divides the Indonesian archipelago into two distinct parts, a western portion in which the animals are largely of Asian origin and an eastern one where the birds and mammals are more similar to those of Australia.

To coincide with this significant anniversary, Orangutan Foundation trustee Dr John MacKinnon will be giving a lecture. Dr MacKinnon is a pioneer of wild orangutan research and has been working in Asian conservation and ecology for more than 40 years. More details soon. Register your interest for the lecture at: info@orangutan.org.uk

ORANGUTAN & BIRDWATCHING TOUR with John McKinnon 26 September–2 October 2013

Stay at Pondok Ambung Tropical Research Station and join Dr John MacKinnon in the footsteps of Alfred Russel Wallace in search of red apes and endemic birds. As the pioneer of orangutan

studies and author of the standard bird fieldguide to the region, John provides the perfect introduction to jungle life. Share his knowledge of this global hotspot and see first-hand efforts being made to save key areas of the world’s third largest island. More at: info@orangutan.org.uk

ORANGE FOR ORANGUTAN DAYWednesday 13 November, 2013

This is part of Orangutan Awareness week (11-17 November).

It’s your chance to ‘go orange’ and – in any way you like – to inject some orange zest into your day to raise vital funds for orangutans and their rainforests.

Past ideas have included cake sales, orangutan-themed tea parties, dressing in orange and even bathing in baked beans. So the sky really is the limit. More at: info@orangutan.org.uk

THE BIG GIVE CHARITIES RAFFLEOnline tickets on sale until 5pm on Wednesday 7 August 2013

The first ever Big Give Charities Raffle is now open. All tickets purchased via our page on the Big Give website will count as donations, with 96p from each £1 ticket going directly to helping orangutans and their rainforest home.

With big cash prizes to be won, as well as an additional cash prize for the Foundation if more tickets are purchased through our profile page than any other charity’s, this is a potential win-win situation for everyone.

Buy tickets on our page on the Big Give website: https://secure.thebiggive.org.uk/charity/view/1322

FOUNDATION TRIP TO BORNEO Spaces still left this summerGroup 1: 9–18 June; group 2: 15–24 September 2013

Experience first-hand what your support helps us to achieve on an Orangutan Conservation Tour in Indonesian Borneo, led by Foundation

Director Ashley Leiman. One of last year’s participants said the

highlight was ‘seeing so many orangutans and having such a knowledgeable and fantastic guide... One of the all-time best. At least FIVE stars.’

There are still opportunities for a select few to go behind the scenes of orangutan conservation in Tanjung Puting National Park – the best place in the world to see wild orangutans. This tour gives you access to exclusive orangutan habitat, with virtually guaranteed sightings.

You will spend time on private river boats, exploring the small waterways that connect the forest, looking out for proboscis monkeys, kingfishers and monitor lizards, as well as numerous birds and butterflies. You will also gain a deeper understanding of the key role the forest plays in securing the orangutans’ future.

By joining this tour you will be will given the privilege of seeing these gentle creatures in the wild while helping in the fight against their extinction. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity. More at: info@orangutan.org.uk

PHOTO TRIP TO BORNEO28 October–5 November 2013

Due to overwhelming demand, Ian Wood has added an extra autumn date to his fantastic photographic tours of Tanjung Puting National Park. Ian welcomes

Orangutan Foundation, 7 Kent Terrace, London, NW1 4RP www.orangutan.org.uk email:info@orangutan.org.uktelephone: 020 7724 2912 fax: 020 7724 2613

Printed on recycled paper. Contributions by Stephen Brend, Nicky Pollard; designed by Simon Bishop; edited by Roz Kidman Cox.

IndividualsAlbertino Abela, Betul Al-Bassam, Graham Banes, Stephen Briggs, Steph Brown, Steve Bocock, Lottie Coombes, Mike & Ursula Fuller, Christy Harrison, Mr & Mrs Peter Hatchman, Gary Hodges, Peter Lavin, Jo Lynch, Chris Martin, Brian Matthews, Paul Matthews, Steve Oliver, Adela Pickles, Jacha Potgieter, Sir Terry Pratchett, Chris Redston, Fiona Rogers, Anup Shah, Helen Shearan, Sue Silk, Susan Shimeld, Colin Smythe, Pam Swan, Dan Ward, Rob Wilkins, Ian Wood, Chris Wright, Trevor Wright

OrganisationsAgency for the Conservation of Natural Resources Central Kalimantan (Indonesian government), Blackpool Zoo, Care for the Wild International, Discworld Monthly, European Union, Orang-utan in Not e. V, Orangutan Project, Prospero World, Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, Tanjung Puting National Park

Charitable TrustsArcus Foundation, Colchester Zoo’s Action for the Wild, the Big Give, Body Shop Foundation, Gemini Foundation, Humane Society International Australia, Huxtable Charitable Trust, Kings Cullimore Charitable Trust, Mazars Charitable Trust, Planet Action, Rufford Foundation, Simon Gibson Charitable Trust, United States Fish & Wildlife Service, Whitley Animal Protection Trust

Corporate SupportInside2Outside, Little Satsuma, Paterson Arran, Steppes Discovery, The One Off, Viridian, Willow Magazines

New Life MembersHabsari Utami, Martha Bell, Susan Turner

THANK YOU

photographers of any standard. Specialist camera equipment is certainly not a necessity. You will get so close to the wildlife that a simple digital camera is perfectly sufficient for stunning photos. More at: info@orangutan.org.uk

ORANGUTAN SEASONIn March, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Defra – launched the ‘If They’re Gone…’

campaign, which aims to highlight the threats posed to four iconic endangered species: rhinos, tigers, orangutans and elephants. We will be taking part in the Orangutan Season, which will run from September to November 2013.

To keep informed, follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/IfTheyreGone or sign up to receive our email updates.

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