International Animal Rescue

In the nine years since the inaugural Giving Day for Apes our orangutan project has continued to grow and transform. In the beginning our efforts focused on rescue, rehab and release - which are still core pillars of our project today - but that doesn't get to the root cause of orangutan population decline. We can rescue orangutans all day long but if we don't stop them needing rescuing in the first place, then the end result is still the same. As time went by the project grew and we began to work on programs that dealt in prevention and mitigation. Such as education, tree planting, gender empowerment, organic farming, fire patrolling, scholarships and much, much more!

Since 2014 we have also cared for an orangutan called Budi. He was all that time ago and earlier this year he was finally released! Using his story, we'll navigate through nine years of our project and see what the future might hold for orangutan protection.

This Giving Day for Apes, please make a donation to the future of orangutan protection.

RESCUE

Budi was rescued in December 2014. For the first year of his life, he was kept in a tiny chicken cage and fed entirely on condensed milk. Upon rescue, he was suffering from severe malnutrition and anaemia, his body was swollen and extremely weak, he was unable to move his limbs. But Budi’s story was one of many.

Since 2009, YIARI have rescued more than 250 orangutans in desperate need. But now, nine years on from Budi’s rescue, and thanks to a commitment to finding holistic and lasting solutions, the team are carrying out less rescues and instead engaging in more habitat protection and education and outreach work, successfully keeping orangutans safe and thriving in the wild, where they belong.

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REHABILITATION

 

Rehabilitation is a huge part of our orangutan rescue project in Indonesia and gives the rescued orangutans in our care the tools they need to survive back in the wild. Like many of the orangutans who arrive at the center, Budi’s journey to recovery demanded physical and mental healing. After the initial physical healing was done Budi spent nine years going through different schools at the center.

Here, they learn to thrive in groups and independently, honing skills for survival, such as tree climbing, foraging and nest-building. As their independence grows their interaction with humans decreases to a bare minimum. Rehabilitation for rescued orangutans takes time and Budi's path spanned nine years of learning, transforming him into the confident adult he is today.

Our rehabilitation program is vital to ensuring that this amazing species can survive and thrive in the wild, but we can’t do this without your support. Please make a donation today and help us win additional prizes!

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RELEASE

After nine years Budi's day finally came this year on June 26 – and it’s a day we’ll never forget! Budi was released into the wilds of Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park with the help of the BKSDA. When Giving Day For Apes first begun, Budi was just a baby, and the amount of releases were ramping up. From 2009 we began rescuing orangutans, and after a few years of rehabilitation we were consistently releasing them into the rainforest. In fact, 171 orangutans have now been released! We are still releasing orangutans, but are approaching the day where this will be a rarity, as rescues come down.

But until then, we need to ensure the forests these orangutans are released into has a population of wild orangutans that can cope with additional introductions and enough fruiting trees to sustain them. They must also be protected, free of any external threats and our program must have the support of the people living in the vicinity of the release sites. This is why holistic conservation efforts are a must.

Many believe the final chapter of a rescued orangutan’s story is on the day of their release, but this is only just the beginning, and we need to ensure all conditions are suitable for them to thrive in the wild!

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POST-RELEASE MONITORING

Our commitment to Budi and all the released orangutans doesn’t stop there. For the next two years, the post-release monitoring team will follow his progress, to ensure that he is continuing to thrive in the wild. This dedicated group work long days, starting before the orangutan wakes in their nest and they don’t finish until the orangutan is safely settled down for the night.

The post-release monitoring of our released orangutans is vital to ensuring that this amazing species survives in the wild and give orangutans populations a lifeline. But we need your help to support our hard-working team in Indonesia, who are working tirelessly to ensure the safety of orangutans in the wild! Your donation can help us continue to protect and nurture these amazing orangutans in their newfound paradise. Together, we can make a difference!

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