The orangutan is one of the flagship species that continues to be the ministry's priority through various conservation effortsJakarta (ANTARA) - The Environment and Forestry Ministry has released eight orangutans into the forest of Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park in Kalimantan following their rehabilitation at Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rehabilitation Center in Central Kalimantan.
According to a statement issued by the ministry here on Friday, the release was the result of a collaboration between Central Kalimantan's Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA), Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park (TNBBBR), and Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation.
"The orangutan is one of the flagship species that continues to be the ministry's priority through various conservation efforts so that their existence remains protected and they can procreate well," the Director General of Natural Resource Conservation and Ecosystem at the ministry Wiratno stated.
Their successful procreation is one of the indicators that a forest is in good condition, not just for the orangutans, but for other wildlife, he added.
The Kalimantan orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is protected by law and has been included on the list of critically endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
As protected wildlife with critical status, the conservation of the orangutan is not just the focus of parties at the national level, but also the international level, Wiratno said.
Hence, support from all parties is necessary for their preservation, he added.
In addition, involving communities living around the release location in the release activity and wildlife monitoring can raise people's awareness and participation in efforts to preserve orangutans and their habitat in TNBBBR, he said.
"I express my gratitude and appreciation toward all parties, especially the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, who have collectively conducted orangutan preservation efforts with the ministry through this release activity," he remarked.
The released orangutans comprise four males and four females. They were released separately on December 14 and December 16, 2021, he informed.
The eight orangutans were a part of a rescue effort and they underwent rehabilitation for 5 to 15 years. Before their release, they had been declared healthy and fit to live in the wilds, he added.
The TNBBBR along with Central Kalimantan's BKSDA and BOS Foundation has released 186 orangutans since 2016, including the recently released orangutans.
Meanwhile, the total number of orangutans released since 2016 across TNBBBBR, which spans Central Kalimantan and West Kalimantan, is 246.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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