Tuesday 10 June 2008

Three orangutans safely rescued

The first week of June saw three orangutans were rescued and taken to the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation rescue/rehab centre in Central Kalimantan.

It was the culmination of many weeks work of planning and was only then possible due to the excellent cooperation between the following organisations: The Gunung Palung Orangutan Project who had already rescued one orangutan in remote West Kalimantan and were caring for it until space could be found in a rescue/rehab centre; The Ministry of Forestry (BKSDA) officials in Pontianak, West Kalimantan who did all we could have and did ask for in the way of help (they were a really great help) - they had been looking after two orangutans; Orangutan Appeal UK for their support of COP and without who's help none of this would have been possible; the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation for their full cooperation, sponsorship of the transportation costs incurred and special thanks to Lone Droscher-Nielsen, manager of the rescue centre who responded so positively to our request for help with rehabilitating these orangutans.

This rescue was a major logistical and 'diplomatic' exercise overseen by Yenny, vet to COP.

But, if it was not for the small, dedicated team at the Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP), a group still a little over a year old and already doing amazing work, its anyone's guess as to what may have happened to these three orangutans.

The work goes on 24/7 and we have at least 50 more orangutans of various ages we want to rescue as quickly as possible.

If you already support COP I hope you will be proud of them as well as yourselves. Please take a few moments to look at the photos below - just a few of the dozens we have on file.