By: Hermas Rintik

Kapuas Hulu-----Oki, a young Bornean orangutan happily ran out of his cage and went straight climbing Raba tree (Mangifera sp.), leaving our boat that brought him back to his forest . Oki was released to his his home in the heart of Borneo forests in  Kapus Hulu District after being caged for ten days his health recovery. The poor orangutan was accidentally found by Bandi, one of the society member of Puring Village, Bunut Hilir Subdistrict, Kapuas Hulu District, West Kalimantan on 5 April. At that time the condition of orangutan was really weak since he was badly injured.

Bandi ,a member of the local communities,  reported the finding of Oki to Village Head and Head of Protected Forest of Teluk Aur Village and WWF-Indonesia staff. The team brought Oki to the village for  medical treatment  and preparation to release him.

Soon after receiving report from local people, Yuli, a staff of WWF-Indonesia went to the village to check Oki’s condition. “We wanted to ensure if he needed some medical treatment or was ready to be released to the wild,” Yuli said. After examining Oki, the team learned that he suffered from dehidration caused by diarrhea. Most likely the dehidration had caused his fall and injured. “We really appreciate local people’s efforts and initiative to help, take care, and release this endangered species, “ Yuli stated.
In the process of Oki’s care and release, local people and villagers of Teluk Aur had intensively involved WWF-Indonesia. “We know WWF as an organization that cares on environment, nature, and endangered species conservation,”said  Marzuki, a Village Head of Teluk Aur that helped the team on the orangutan release. The finding of Oki, said Marzuki, was a real proof that Teluk Aur serves as an important  orangutan habitat that has to be protected. “All of our village members support the effort and commitment to protecti this endangered species,” he added.

Similar support was also stated  by Dayat, a Head of Protected Forest of Teluk Aur village. He said that local people of Teluk Aur were actually able to release Oki by theirsleves, but they wanted to take this chance to promote their area as Orangutan habitat and therefore involving WWF on the release processes. “We want to give real proof to public, particularly WWF and KOMPAK (Tourism Community of Kalimantan) that  Teluk Aur is an important Borneon Orangutan ,” Dayat said. Local people and Village Head of Protected Forest has been working with WWF-Indonesia in conducting surveys on Orangutan’s population and habitat in the area,  as well as helping monitor the presence of orangutan  for promotion to tourists. The  people were really excited on the release and finding  of Oki  and considered the moment special, as it provides opportunity for them to directly observe orangutan.

The release of Oki involved three of WWF-Indonesia staffs of West Kalimantan office and nine local people, including Head of Protected Forest of Teluk Aur. “It’s been ten days since the first time we found Oki and took care of him. Now he is healthy enough to be released to the wild,” said Bandi the man who found Oki on the first place. “Farewell Oki,” said Bandi, waving to Oki who’s picking fruits happily on his tree.