As more and more rainforest disappears orangutans are coming into greater contact with humans, and as a result more of them are being captured. It is absolutely vital that orangutans be returned to the wild where they can breed and propagate the species.

Orangutans are on the brink of extinction, so each individual’s genetic blueprint is critical for the future survival of the species. It is absolutely critical, therefore, that orangutans have a chance to live wild in the forest, where they can continue to have babies and thereby ensure their survival as a species.

At BOS rehabilitation centers in Borneo, captured orangutans are gently helped to prepare for life in the wild. The captured orangutans come to us through many channels. Some are confiscated from their owners or in customs when they are being smuggled out of Indonesia. Some are rescued from palm oil plantations where they have ended up as a last resort, starving because their food sources have literally disappeared. Some are actually kept by plantation workers as ‘mascots’ and pets.

Preparing for life in the wild can be a long process. Baby orangutans normally live with their mother for the first six to seven years of their life. It takes years to teach the little ones the skills they will need to become independent, wild orangutans. But it’s a task that we gladly undertake.

They are brought to the centers where BOS veterinarians examine them for diseases in order to prepare them for a new life in the rainforest. Orangutan babies normally live with their mother for the first 6-7 years of their life– until they are strong enough to cope on their own. Since most of the rescued orangutans are infants, it is a long process at the center to teach the little ones how to become independent and to be able to survive in the wild.

* To learn more about the rescue and rehabilitation process, visit  Orangutan Outreach.