Exciting news from our BORA rescue centre in East Kalimantan—Bonti has moved to a forested pre-release island as she moves closer towards forest freedom.
Bonti exploring her new lush island home
Bonti arrived at our centre in April 2017 after being rescued from illegal captivity in Tenggarong, where she was kept as a pet. At just four years old, she had already endured significant trauma, having lost both her mother and her forest home. With time, she learned to trust our dedicated orangutan keepers and began to thrive in Jungle School alongside other young orangutans. Bonti quickly became a star student, mastering essential skills like foraging and safely navigating the forest canopy.
Young Bonti in her early days of Jungle School
Throughout her journey, Bonti formed close bonds with fellow orangutans Owi, Mary and Jojo, and together they honed their survival skills. As Bonti grew more confident and independent, she started exploring deeper into the forest—a clear sign that she was ready for the next stage of rehabilitation.
Bonti cuddling with Owi (left) and heading out to Jungle School (right)
Last month, Bonti underwent a pre-release medical examination and was then successfully moved to a forested pre-release island. She’s adjusting wonderfully, already foraging on the island, with our team closely monitoring her progress from a nearby post. Now, Bonti needs to focus on perfecting her nest-building skills for cozy nights sleeping in the canopy. To support her transition, our staff provide supplementary food twice a day, using a hoist basket to encourage her natural arboreal feeding behaviour.
Bonti was recently filmed making this nest to sleep in overnight- well done Bonti! Orangutans need to be able to make a strong and comfortable night nest before being released.
We are deeply grateful to our incredible donors, whose generosity makes stories like Bonti’s possible. Orangutan rehabilitation is a long and complex process, as young orangutans spend up to 11 years with their mothers learning vital survival skills. Because of your support, orangutans like Bonti have a second chance to return to the wild and play a crucial role in the survival of their Critically Endangered species.