BKSDA West Kalimantan Saves Baby Orangutan Without Parents Wandering in Ketapang Palm Oil Plantation

The Search and Rescue (SAR) team of the Joint Search and Rescue (SAR) is searching for one person who was reported missing in the Danau Bambure Village Forest, South Barito Regency (Barsel). ANTARA/Basarnas Palangka Raya

JAKARTA - The West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) has rescued a female orangutan baby without a mother in an oil palm plantation in Sungai Besar, South Matan Hilir District, Ketapang Regency.

This rescue is a collaboration between the West Kalimantan BKSDA and the Indonesian Nature Rehabilitation Initiative Foundation (YIARI).

"The baby orangutan, who was later named Jani, was reported by residents to be seen wandering around the oil palm plantation for several days without the presence of his mother. Following up on the report, a joint team conducted field verification and confirmed that the protected animal was alone and at risk of conflict with humans," said YIARI veterinarian, drh. Komara, in Pontianak, Friday, quoted by Antara.

Officers had searched for the mother around the location, but it was fruitless. To ensure the safety of the animals, the team decided to guard and spend the night at the location while waiting for the rescue team to arrive.

After the observation, the evacuation process was decided without using tranquilizers or anesthesia because it considered the age of the orangutan which was still very young.

"Physically, Jani is still very young. In this condition, the use of narcotics can actually increase the risk," said those directly involved in the rescue process. "Manual handling is the safest option while still paying attention to the level of stress and the physiological condition of the animal."

The arrest process went smoothly. Jani was then put into a transport cage and taken to the YIARI Orangutan Rescue and Rehabilitation Center for a health examination.

Initial examination results showed that Jani was estimated to be around five years old. At that age, orangutan children should still depend entirely on their mother.

"In the wild, orangutan children depend on their parents until the age of 6-8 years, both for protection, nutrition, and learning to survive. Being separated from the mother at this age is very risky," he said.

Currently, Jani is in a quarantine room for physical and mental recovery, and will undergo a series of follow-up medical examinations.

The chairman of YIARI, Silverius Oscar Unggul, assessed that this incident reflected the increasing pressure on wildlife habitat due to landscape fragmentation and land expansion.

"This case shows the increasing pressure on the habitat. We appreciate the quick response of the community, BKSDA, and the field team. In the future, prevention and education are the key to preventing similar cases from happening again," he said.

According to him, the team is still monitoring the area around the plantation to find the mother. If found, the reunification process will be attempted. However, if not, Jani will undergo rehabilitation until he is ready to be released back into his natural habitat.

Head of West Kalimantan BKSDA, Murlan Dameria Pane, expressed his appreciation for the collaboration of various parties in the rescue.

"At the age of five, Jani should still be with his mother. This condition is a reminder that the pressure on orangutan habitat is still high. Education and awareness of the community need to continue to be improved to maintain biodiversity," he said.

The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is a protected animal whose population continues to decline due to habitat loss and conflicts with human activities.