Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation UK

[Guest guest]

PRESS RELEASE

Aylesbury, UK

27 September 2003

BORNEO ORANGUTAN SURVIVAL CHARITY NOW OFFICIAL IN UK

The U.K. branch of the Balikpapan Orangutan Survival Foundation,

which has sister organisations around the world, has been recognised

by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. (Registration

Number: 1099591). In line with the other BOS organisations, its name

will soon change to the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. BOS

UK's objectives, as worded in the Charity Report, are " to promote the

preservation of the wild orangutan in its natural habitat, to promote

its long term welfare in Indonesia and to protect it from extinction

for the public benefit; and to advance the education of the public

benefit in the study, preservation and protection of the wild

orangutan. "

BOS UK specifically supports the work of the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan

Reintroduction Project and the Wanariset Orangutan Reintroduction

Project, both in Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), as well as the Mawas

Reserve, an area of rainforest over half a million hectares in size

and home to an estimated 2500-3000 wild orangutans. The BOS

Foundation has over the last two years initiated and prepared the

concept and draft for a unique combination of a Debt for Nature Swap

and Carbon Offset Agreement. The Foundation also manages forest

reserves in Sungai Wain and Meratus in Kalimantan. BOS UK is

voluntarily directed by Miss Michelle Desilets, who has been an

advocate for the survival of the orangutan for many years. She is

supported by fellow trustees Dr. David Chivers and Ms. Raffaella

Commitante of Cambridge University. The organisation to date has

raised over £25,000.

BOS Foundation and Its Activities

The BOS Foundation is audited by PriceWaterhouseCoopers and working

under an official agreement with the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry

for the conservation of orangutans and their ecosystem through the

involvement of local people. BOS is presently running the world's

largest primate conservation project, has more than 200 permanent

staff with expertise in biodiversity issues (flora and fauna), forest

rehabilitation, forest inventory and monitoring (through its company

PT SarVision Indonesia), agro forestry to improve local peoples

welfare, education and extension activities, and working with

orangutans and other protected wildlife. BOS has worked for orangutan

issues since 1991, has bought thousands of acres of land to become

new eternal nature reserves owned by BOS, and assisted in the

confiscation of more than one thousand orangutans and their

reintroduction to the wild.

BOS is active in supporting the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry in

the field of law enforcement. Staff of BOS accompany and assist the

forest police and BOS also finances the flying team of theate General for Forest Protection and Nature Conservation.

This team can take legal action anywhere in Indonesia and has done

many operations leading to many convictions of animal traders.

BOS also supports ongoing scientific studies related to orangutans.

History of the Foundation

Originally BOS was formed when Dr. Willie Smits, a tropical forest

ecologist and senior advisor to the Minister of Forestry of

Indonesia, found a sick orangutan in the local market. He managed to

keep her alive and was then given a second problematic baby, and had

to care for the two of them.

Dr. Joe Cuthbertson (principal) and the students at Pasir

International School became involved in helping support Willie's

project. BOS was born. Until today children play an important role in

the foundation. In Indonesia, BOS supports many educational

activities for school children, focusing on nature conservation and

orangutans. Many of the BOS sister organizations have educational

programs for school children as well.

Orangutan Reintroduction Guidelines

The activities of BOS are based upon the scientific insights of Dr.

Herman Rijksen who formulated the policies for orangutan

reintroduction. These consisted of letting ex-captive orangutans go

through quarantine first, use socialization to enhance learning

amongst orangutans and release of rehabilitant orangutans in forests

without wild orangutan population. BOS was the first group to put

these recommendations to the test and the principles of quarantine,

socialization and release in areas devoid of wild orangutan

populations have in the mean time become law in Indonesia (SK 280,

June 5th, 1995) and the Wanariset guidelines are now the standard for

all of Indonesia.

BOS: Working with the Local Community

BOS also works closely together with many local people to try to

teach them better ways of land use that do not necessitate them to

destroy or burn forests anymore while providing them with higher

sustainable income. BOS feels that these schemes, involving amongst

others the use of sugar palms and rattan and combined tree and

fruits/vegetable methods, are the only way to reach long term nature

conservation goals for orangutans. Without improvement for local

people and their support orangutan conservation and survival cannot

be attained.Wanariset Orangutan Reintroduction ProjectWanariset is

now the largest legally operating reintroduction project in the

world. It receives some base funding from the government but, at

present, its operational costs have increased annually and more

orangutans are confiscated every year. Sponsorships of orangutans are

vital for the project's survival as well as support from member

contributions, both private and corporate. In 1996 around 229

corporate and private members gave support to the program. Present

funding is used for basic orangutan care; such as food, maintaining a

clean and healthy living environment (running water to clean cages,

tile floors in cages), medical screening and care, cages, and a basic

behavioural enrichment program which is necessary for an orangutan's

reintroduction to the rain forest. Although essential needs are met,

much more could be done. BOS is currently coordinating the fund

raising to support outreach educational and extension programs,

locally and in remote areas of Borneo where free roaming orangutan

still survive. Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Project The

Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Project is situated 28 km (18

miles) outside Palangka Raya, the capital of Central Kalimantan. It

is located within the boundaries of the Nyaru Menteng Arboretum, a

62.5 ha lowland peat-swam forest ecosystem, founded in 1988 by the

Ministry of Forestry Regional office of Central Kalimantan. The

clinic, quarantine facilities and socialisation cages are inside a

fenced area of 1.5 ha, while mid-way housing is at the farthest end

of the Arboretum, which has good forest for the smallest orangutans

and is undisturbed by visitors. Kaja Island for the larger orangutans

is located only eight km away by road. During the devastating fires

of 97/98, hundreds of infant and juvenile orangutans were rescued

from villages in Kalimantan (the Indonesian part of the Island of

Borneo). Their mothers had become easy prey, forced out of the

burning forests into human settlements, trying to find food for

themselves and their offspring. The villagers, hungry, sometimes

starving due to the prolonged drought, found easy protein literally

in their backyard. While the mothers were killed and eaten, the

infants/juveniles were held in cages, possibly for a future sale.

Extensive rescue missions were set up and hundreds of orangutans were

rescued, by the Wanariset Orangutan Reintroduction Project in East

Kalimantan.It was during this time it became apparent that a new

quarantine and reintroduction facility was needed to cope with the

continuous flow of rescued orangutans. Although the fires have

diminished, it is estimated that hundreds of orangutans are still

held captive, not just in villages in Kalimantan, but in households

as far as Java and Bali. Many of the victims are from the fires but

at least as many victims are from the extensive logging which clear-

cuts thousands of hectares of virgin tropical rainforest every

day.The aim of the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Project is

to rescue the orangutans (and other protected primates) that are held

in captivity, and through quarantine and halfway housing to release

them back into their natural environment. We aim to help to protect

large areas of untouched forest for this purpose, perhaps in

adjunction to existing National Parks in remote areas such as Bukit

Raya/Bukit Baka National Park or the area of Batikop, with protected

forest status, might be another option. Current ProjectsCurrent

projects include (but are not limited to) further development of the

medical facilities and equipment at both reintroduction sites,

training of staff in micro light flight to release orangutans in

remote locations, and the creation of educational materials for use

among all age groups. BOS UK helps to finance emergency medical

procedures for ill and injured orangutans as needed.How People Can

HelpBOS UK is looking for volunteers or sponsorship in the following

areas: accounting, education materials development and distribution,

printing and graphic design, secretarial and other administrative

work, fundraising, research, Public Relations, medical advice and

support, and acquisition and shipping of donated or purchased

supplies.Membership in the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation is

£25.00, or £2 a month by direct debit. Donations of any size are

always accepted. Donations can be made by direct debit or by sending

a cheque to: Balikpapan Orangutan Survival Foundation UK (to which

cheques can be made out)68 Aston Abbotts RoadWeedon,

AylesburyBUCKSHP22 4NHUKDonations can also be paid into the following

bank account:HSBC2 Walton RoadAylesbury BUCKS HP21 7SSSort Code 40-08-

39Account number 91730894BOS UK heartily accepts gifts in kind. A

Wish List is always available to anyone interested in helping in this

way.Contact InformationThe Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation UK

can be contacted at the address above or by email at

bosf_uk. The UK website is www.savetheorangutan.org.uk

and the International website is www.savetheorangutan.com.

 

 

 

 

Michelle Desilets

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation UK

" Primates Helping Primates "

www.savetheorangutan.org.uk

www.savetheorangutan.com