During our #MyStepToProtect campaign we have been able to adopt 9 more orangutans with Orangutan Foundation International. Scroll down to meet the newsest faces of Orangutan Alliance
RYAN
Ryan arrived at the OFI Care Centre in 2013, when he was about eighteen months old. We knew his approximate age from his teeth, but he actually looked much younger.
Ryan has grown into a playful, boisterous and very sociable orangutan with a happy disposition and a zest for life. He is quite the entertainer of the Learning Forest, bringing much laughter and joy to his caregivers. When he is not taking long jaunts into the forest, he is seeking action of any kind. If there is play fighting you can guarantee that Ryan is in the middle of it. If there is a rumour that a caregiver has a treat in their pocket, Ryan is in the group jostling to find it.
JEFFREY JNR
Jeffrey Junior was only seven months old when he was brought to the Orangutan Care Centre and Quarantine (OCCQ) in early 2017 by police who had confiscated him from people keeping him as a pet. We do not know exactly what had happened to him, but it was clear he had been through a lot in his little life.
Weighing in at just 3.5 kilos upon his arrival, Jeffrey was severely traumatised and suffered several seizures a day during his first weeks. One day the seizures got so bad that Jeffrey lost his heartbeat and we were not sure if he would make it. But little Jeffrey is a fighter and he was not ready to give up! The medical team took care of him around the clock throughout his first few weeks at the Care Centre. Finally, the seizures declined in frequency and Jeffrey started to gain weight.
HOLLAND
Since her arrival at Pondok Danielle, OFI’s orangutan nursery, in late 2016, Holland has won the hearts of OFI caregivers and volunteers alike. There is something about her soulful eyes and quiet charm that everyone finds captivating. She is particularly adorable, and despite the tragedies of her past, Holland has the good fortune of being a clever and confident infant.
Holland had a rough start: the loss of her mother and the burns on her hand when she arrived at OFI tell us of her tragic past. There is no way for us to know for sure what happened, but it appears she was captured, and her mother killed in a fire. She arrived at our Care Centre an orphan, but she has found a loving surrogate mother in Ibu Yeti, who cares for little Holland as if she were her own child. This maternal connection is very important to orphaned orangutans who crave the affection and require the attention of their mother until they reach adolescence.
KOBE
Cute and cuddly Kobe was rescued in 2014 by Dr Birute Mary Galdikas. When she first arrived at the Care Centre, she was very young. Kobe is a fast learner, adaptable, and easy-going. She impresses her care givers with the confident way she embraces her rehabilitation.
Kobe is a vivacious orangutan and full of life. She is quite independent and truly “a person of the forest.” She has a healthy appetite and is fond of most fruits. She never passes up an offered treat, especially the delicious guavas and pineapples she enjoys so enormously. Her beautiful, shiny coat and muscular body attest to her good health.
HOCKEY
The last six months have gone by in a wink of an eye for Hockey. She remains lively and alert, as she watches the comings and goings of Pondok Dua, the facility where she lives. She must know all the caregivers off by heart by now, as she moves around expectantly when caregivers come to give attention to her. Hockey enjoys visitors even for just a short time.
CHARLIE
Charlie arrived at the OFI Care Centre in 2012. He could not have been much older than one and a half years of age. The OFI Rescue Team travelled the long distance to Palangka Raya, a ten-hour drive, to rescue him.
A sociable, easy going orangutan, Charlie has a special face for his every mood. He is a funny boy, charming everyone he meets with his individuality and his big, expressive eyes. He is often the instigator of games or play fighting with his peers. Charlie loves investigating pockets. If there is a treat hidden in a caregiver’s pocket, you can bet that Charlie will be the first to try to find it!
CARMEN
Everyone is captivated by little Carmen. Her long scarlet locks and bright eyes distinguish her and amplify her prettiness. She was tiny when she first arrived at the Care Centre in 2014, after she was confiscated by local Forestry officers.
Calm, patient and well-behaved are all words that the OFI staff use to describe Carmen. She gets along well with all her orangutan friends. Humans are the ones that make her wary. Carmen can be very shy with new people and prefers to stick with familiar care givers. However, once you’ve become her friend, she will trust you no matter what and is always gentle with those she has come to know well.
AMELIA
Amelia is still her endearingly irascible self. She continues to demonstrate that she doesn't do things half, as she fixes all those around her with an intense stare. There have been big changes in the playground area over the last year, a bridge with ropes, and new tires sway around the playground. Amelia normally sticks to the same spots in the Learning Forest but has taken a liking to the new bridge.
TOMMY
Tommy has something truly special about him. He is a sweet, gentle orangutan yet he is also inquisitive by nature. He is always calm and moves around with a deliberate and determined manner, charming anyone lucky enough to meet him.
Tommy’s beautiful paisley-shaped eyes stare out at the world like liquid brown pools. When those big dark eyes look up at you, your heart just melts. He will reach out from his enclosure and warmly take a visitor’s hand, eyeing him or her curiously.
I was horrified to find out my Ritz crackers have vegetable modified palm in the ingredients .I will never buy them again. It takes longer to read the ingredients in the store but it is worth it.