West Kalimantan BKSDA Releases 12 Orangutans To The Free Nature

Release of orangutans by BKSDA/ Photo: Antara

Head of the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) of West Kalimantan Province, RM Wiwied Widodo, stated that the institution had released 12 orangutans into the wild or Pongo pygmaeus until September 2023.

"In 2023, which was successfully released by the Wildlife Rescue Unit (WRU) Section I Ketapang, there were eight Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus and WRU Section 2 Sintang with four Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii," said Wiwied, Antara, Sunday, October 1.

He added, according to the data that currently there are still orangutans that must always be in the rehabilitation center. And for the animals that are in the rehabilitation center, they cannot be returned to nature and the animals are for educational or learning and research purposes.

"Currently, there are 28 animals in the rehabilitation center due to 'pkir', 21 in Yiari (IAR Indonesia Foundation, ed.) and 7 in SOC (Sintang Orangutan Center, ed.)," he said.

Regarding WRU data that existed throughout January - September 2023, there were three cases, the same place in Melawi Regency, he said that after the incident, the Sintang Regional 2 Section Team had socialized the case.

Previously, the West Kalimantan BKSDA rescued an orangutan baby that was kept by a resident in Nanga Raya Village, Melawi Regency.

Information regarding the existence of orangutan babies that are kept by the community in the Nanga Raya Village area, Belimbing District is verified by the West Kalimantan BKSDA and followed up by the WRU BKSDA Team for the Conservation Section of Region II Sintang with medical personnel from the Orang Sintang Rescue Foundation (YPOS) to the field.

Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is a protected animal according to the Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation number 106 of 2018 and also has a very endangered status.

According to IUCN in the 2016 Red Data List, orangutans have been threatened with extinction due to hunting since hundreds of years ago and are now threatened with deforestation, forest conversion and climate change.