The orangutans are both eight years old. One is male and the other female."Pontianak (ANTARA News) - Two orangutans have been returned to their natural habitat in Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park, West Kalimantan Province, after undergoing rehabilitation for a few years.
The two orangutans have been released into the national park, which is located in Menukung Sub-district, Melawi District, Sustyo Iriyono, the head of the Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) of West Kalimantan, said here on Tuesday.
"The orangutans are both eight years old. One is male and the other female," Iriyono said.
This is part of wildlife conservation efforts by the authorities to protect these iconic great apes and ensure their survival in the wild.
Earlier, both the orangutans had been rehabilitated at a Yiari rehabilitation center in Ketapang - the male, named Johny, for four years and the female, named Desy, for three years.
Rehabilitation is necessary to bring back their wild nature and natural aggression.
"Such a nature (natural aggression) is needed by them to survive in the natural habitat," he added.
The orangutans were released at the SPTN Area I Nanga Pinoh, Resort PTN Mentatai, which is also part of Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park.
The area was considered, after several surveys, to be a proper habitat, with adequate availability of food, for orangutans.
Since 2015, at least 10 orangutans have been released into the national park. Most of them were delivered by local people who either lived together with the apes or had them as pets.
This showed that society is becoming more and more aware of the importance of preserving wildlife and their natural habitat, Iriyono said.
(Reporting by Andilala/Uu.A059/INE/B003/KR-BSR/B003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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