Orangutans Find New Home in River Island

March 21, 2004

PULAU BANG AMAT; THE THIRD PRE-RELEASE ISLAND FOR NYARU MENTENG

After the islands Pulau Kaya and Pulau Palas, the orangutan rehabilitation

project Nyaru Menteng, can look forward to a third island to pre-release

orangutans.

Pulau Bang Amat, which means Bat Island, will soon be ready to release the

orangutans that are ready for a next step in their rehabilitation training.

After several meetings with the local people, the proposal was approved, and at

the end of February, all the official letters were signed. Pulau Bang Amat is

now at the availability of Nyaru Menteng. Preparations are underway.

In between the wings of Kaya Island surrounded by the Rungan River, the Bang

Amat Island will be the new temporary home for some of the bigger orangutans of

the Nyaru Menteng project. The island is covered with good rainforests with

enough fruit trees for the orangutans to find most of the food on their own.

During the rainy season the island is, for the most part, under water. In this

way, the orangutans will learn that their future is high up in the trees and not

on the forest floor.

The Island Bang Amat has an area of 39 hectares and a carrying capacity of 15 to

a maximum of 20 orangutans.

In the end of March and beginning of April, there will be a Dayak ceremony to

ask the gods of the forest for protection.

Bapak Sina Singa, the head of the village of Sei Gohon, will determine when the

time is right to ask for the blessings of the gods to protect the island, the

people who will work on the island and of course the orangutans for whom this is

all about.

The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation UK is funding the entire Pulau Bang

Amat project. Just over £2000 of the £6000 necessary to cover costs has been

raised so far.

BOS UK can be contacted at bos_uk or via their website:

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