Adopt orangutan Rahman

Rahman’s Story

In July 2018, workers on an oil palm plantation in West Borneo heard the sound of crying. They found a baby orangutan, just a year old, all alone among the palms. They had spotted him several times over the previous two months, so they decided to wait in case his mother came back for him. But after a whole day and night, there was still no sign of her. The workers alerted our team, who came to bring him to safety.

Rahman was taken to the rescue centre in Ketapang, about 45 minutes from the plantation, where he spent eight weeks in quarantine. Our vets gave him a thorough health check and tested him for infectious diseases. Happily, apart from being a little dehydrated, Rahman was in good health, which is rare for a rescued orangutan.

The little orphan found crying in a plantation has now spent years growing up in our care. Today he lives on Data Island with four other orangutans. He starts each day with food from the keepers and isn’t fussy at all, though corn and sweet potato are his favourites. Then he sets off to explore, searching for food and playing with the other orangutans. He’s friendly with everyone and likes to take the occasional nap in the trees.

Rahman’s forest skills have come on enormously. He can find termites, and when fruit is scarce he knows to strip and eat bark. He’s also learned to build his own nests, although these days he prefers to repair and reuse old ones. Every skill brings him a step closer to Every skill brings him a step closer to life in the wild.