Borneo Orangutan Survival (Bos) Launches In New Zealand To Help Save Orangutans From Extinction

 The Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation, the largest and arguably most successful orangutan conservation program in the world, continues its bid to garner global support during what they say is a critical and urgent time to fight the extinction of orangutans, with its launch into New Zealand from July 2023.

With only around 57,000 wild Bornean orangutans estimated to be left in the wild, they face many threats, with habitat loss through deforestation and forest fires, illegal hunting and illegal wildlife trade being the main threats to their wellbeing, survival, and population. All orangutan species are critically endangered, facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

BOS’s “rehab and release” program teaches orphaned and separated orangutans to survive in the wild during the world’s first ‘orangutan school’. The program has forged a major breakthrough in the fight to save the critically endangered orangutans of Borneo, with more than 500 “graduates” rehabilitated and released successfully back into the forest where they will be safe from human interaction, poaching and farming.

Young orangutans in the wild typically stay with their mother until they are around seven or eight years old, learning the life skills necessary to be self-sufficient; however, the Foundation typically rescues traumatised or abused animals that have been separated from their mothers at a very early stage. During ‘school’, each orangutan typically spends four to six years with a team of experts working tirelessly to teach new skills, including climbing, nest-building, sourcing food and identifying threats.

The forest school currently has hundreds of orangutans in various stages of ‘education’, with many already eligible for release.

“There’s something so profound about what the BOS Foundation is achieving for orangutans who are facing imminent extinction in Borneo. Human intervention where the orphans are rescued and then over many years taught the skills they need to survive in the forest has changed the rules forever for these little apes,” says Judith Curran, New Zealand documentary filmmaker and co-founder of BOS New Zealand.

“The way they are adjusting and learning from each other at an unprecedented rate is just extraordinary. The BOSF story is symbolic of our planet’s environmental catastrophe but also proves there is hope, with hundreds of human-raised orangutans having already been returned successfully to the wilderness they belong in. This outcome is inspirational for species conservation across the planet.”

The journey for each orangutan back into the wild comes with a hefty up to $10,000 price tag, including airlifting each primate to the release site in an effort to minimise the trauma of their relocation. However, without the support of the public and direct and immediate action, orangutans face extinction if the trend in deforestation for logging, mining, palm oil plantations, settlements and cash crops continues.

“We rely exclusively on donations to continue to protect injured, abused or tortured orangutans by providing medical treatment, attentive care and meticulous training to prepare them for a life of freedom, and we are calling on New Zealanders to provide support while there is still time to make a difference”, says BOS Australia President Kerin Welford.

Orangutans are our closest relatives, sharing 97% of our DNA. The name orangutan derives from the Malay and Indonesian phrase ‘orang-utan’, meaning ‘person of the forest’. These large, gentle red apes are highly intelligent, with the ability to reason and think.

BOS aims to encourage the public to become part of the solution by signing various pledges, learning practical steps to use sustainably sourced products, and donating towards the financial constraints associated with the release of orangutans through fundraising initiatives. Particularly during key global dates, including International Orangutan Day on 19th August 2023.

“The illegal wildlife trade makes up a significant proportion of the global animal trade and includes animals that are used to perform for tourists, sold as pets, poached as ‘ingredients’ for traditional medicine, and killed to be made into trophies for hunters or souvenirs for tourists.

“More than 7,000 animal species are illegally traded globally for various reasons, and the wildlife trade generates a staggering $23 billion USD - the fourth behind illegal drugs, arms, and human trafficking”, says BOS Australia Vice President Lou Grossfeldt.

The global demand for palm oil is one of the largest drivers of deforestation in Indonesia and the #1 reason for orangutan population decline. BOS looks to end unsustainable palm oil practices, encouraging more businesses to use sustainably sourced palm oil by increasing the demand for it and showing commitment to supporting palm oil farmers who have put sustainable farming practices in place.

“Almost 90% of the world’s palm oil is produced in Malaysia and Indonesia on the island of Borneo, yet only 20% of global palm oil is sustainably produced. We can save trees and the thousands of species that depend on them by supporting the thriving sustainable palm oil industry that exists today and its adopted policies that promise no deforestation, no peat development, and no employee exploration – thus drastically minimising harm to local communities or the environment”, says Grossfeldt.

During the first public event for BOS New Zealand, those in Auckland can join an exclusive screening of the powerful documentary 'Eyes of the Orangutan‘, showing on Wednesday, 12th July, at 5:30pm. The film, supported by Borneo Orangutan Survival, explores one of the most troubling facets of modern wildlife tourism and shows how BOS cares for many of its victims in their unique orangutan school and sanctuary.

The screening will be followed by an audience Q&A with two of the world’s orangutan experts - Dr Jamartin Sihite, CEO of the BOS Foundation, and Lou Grossfeldt, Vice President of BOS Australia. General admission tickets are $30 and can be found here. All funds will go towards rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing Bornean orangutans.

Orangutan lovers can support the plight and BOS via monetary donations, adoption, and volunteer programs. For more information, visit www.orangutans.co.nz

Notes to Editor:

BOS raises funds to support four main pillars of work in Borneo:

1. The rescue, rehabilitation, and release of orangutans back into the wild. To date, 515 orangutans have been released back into the wild.

2. Providing sanctuary care for orangutans and sun bears who are unable to be released. There are currently 400 + orangutans and 70 sun bears being cared for across the two sanctuaries in Borneo.

3. Supporting the development of sustainable communities in Borneo. This includes helping to develop plans for communities to establish sustainable incomes without the need to clear the forest.

4. Conserving the forest. BOS Foundation has over 450,000 hectares of orangutan habitat under protection.

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