Published at mongabay.com

The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) has successfully released 46 orangutans back into the wild. The orangutans had been rescued from forest fragments and housed for months at the Nyaru Menteng Rescue and Reintroduction Project in Central Kalimantan until suitable — and secure — habitat was located. The release site is a section of rainforest in the upper Barito region of Central Kalimantan, within the Heart of Borneo.

"Here there are several thousand hectares of primary lowland rainforest, in lush green valleys and mountain ridges, divided by large rivers flowing through gorges and over rapids," noted a statement from BOSF. "The area has plenty of available food for orangutans, as evidenced by ground surveys, yet only supports a small wild orangutan population, probably owing to a combination of historical hunting by indigenous hunter-gatherer tribes (which has now ceased) and the wide rivers and mountain ridges acting as barriers against the species’ dispersal."

Sixty-one orangutans were released in the upper Barito region in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, researchers identified another 20,000 hectares of suitable habitat, which is where the 46 were released over a six day period from August 17th to 22nd. BOSF reports that fifteen adult males (nine flanged, six unflanged), eleven adult females, seven adolescent males, twelve adolescent females and one female infant (with her mother) were released.

"Those orangutans were then flown to a holding camp near to the release site, ready for their final journey back to the wild. BOSF veterinarians were on hand throughout the entire operation to make sure that the apes didn’t suffer too much from the stresses of the journey and were released in a healthy state. Helicopters were used for the final stage of the release. The orangutans were sedated and placed in individual cages, then flown – six or seven to a sling, suspended 100 feet below the helicopter – to the release points, where a team on the ground waited for the helicopter’s arrival and then opened the cages”.

The released orangutans will be monitored by BOSF, which has also established ties with local communities to ensure they are aware of the reintroduction project.

Full article:http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0905-orangutans.html