FW:Orangutans in Indonesia

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" Orangutan Foundation International "

<ofi

OEAN Communique- September 2002

Tue, 24 Sep 2002

 

Dear OEAN Members,

 

It is high time we reach out to you all as there has

been much happening to the forests and orangutans, and

we do need your help.

 

Dr. Galdikas recently returned from Kalimantan. She

told me of a recent fire near the Care Center and

illegal logging that is getting too close to the

historic Camp Leakey study area. Fires are now

plaguing the island due to drought, lightning and

intentionally sent fires that get out of control.

Several weeks ago, one fast-moving fire just up the

road from the Care Center had flames leaping 40 feet

into the air. It was heading towards the Center in the

early morning hours. If not for the quick work of our

security staff, the Care Center and the orangutans

could have been damaged or destroyed. Many of our

staff joined in the bucket brigade that put out the

conflagration. Our collective congratulations go to

the staff for protecting the orangutans and facility

against the fires.

 

More seriously is the current problem of illegal

logging near Camp Leakey. Illegal loggers are coming

in from another river system and spending many days

going through swamps to reach the eastern border of

the study area. They are carving out small canals and

building wooden rails to float and drag logs out later

this year when the rains come. We hear their

chainsaws, and are fearful they will begin cutting

down the fruit trees for the orangutans in the study

area. We are mounting police patrols but the loggers

are not always easy to find. Even when the police

encounter the loggers, they are only told to leave-

they are not forced to leave. After being give a

couple of chances, then the police can be more

forceful. This takes time and frankly time is running

out. We know these people have used machettes to kill

orangutans, like Davida, and we do not want anything

to happen to the many orangutans we know that live in

the study area like Princess, Peta, Unyuk, Tutut, Tom,

and so many others.

 

What you can do NOW!

 

1. Write letters to the following government

officials: The Bupati of Kotawaringin Barat and the

Governor of Kalimantan Tengah. Both are key people in

determining the seriousness of government action

against illegal loggers within Tanjung Puting National

Park. They can insure the illegal loggers are evicted

and stay out of the park. We would like the police and

the government to enforce the laws that are designed

to protect the habitat and the animals that take

refuge in the Park. We want to make sure the last

pristine forests in the park remain as intact as

possible. Here are the names and addresses of these

two important officials:

 

Ir. Abdul Razak

Bupati of Kotawaringin Barat

Pangkalan Bun, Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia

 

Drs. Wahyudi K. Anwar

Governor of Kalimantan Tengah

Palangka Raya, Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia

 

Please make the letters polite and thoughtful. Ask

them to make it possible to more quickly evict the

illegal loggers so that the forests and orangutans can

be spared. Also, please send a blind copy of your

letters to OFI so we can keep track of this campaign.

 

2. Continue to let people know why the orangutans are

in increased danger- visit our website,

www.orangutan.org and others, like

www.orangutansonline.org to get the information you

need. Also, see if you can find other people to

support us in one of the many ways that makes a

difference: Foster Parent Program, Project 560, or the

Reforestation Program.

 

3. Prepare for the next International Orangutan

Awareness Week. Brainstorm with concerned friends and

come up with ideas. Choose one or two events for the

week. Begin to schedule your events and work with

other people to help you do the event. We are

developing information kits we can send as well as

email to you. We also can post your ideas on our

website: www.orangutan.org/how2help/oean.php for

others to see and possibly use. Please do let us know

if you plan to organize an event, no matter how small

or large. We can help you help the orangutans.

That is it for this edition. If you have any ideas or

suggestions, please email us at ofi. On

behalf of Dr. Galdikas, the orangutans and the rest of

us at OFI, thank you for your involvement in the OEAN.

 

Gary Shapiro, Ph.D.

Vice President

 

Orangutan Foundation International

822 S. Wellesley Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90049

phone:(310) 207-1655; fax:(310) 207-1556

www.orangutan.org; ofi

 

 

 

 

 

 

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