Adopt orangutan Rickina

Rickina’s Story

Rickina was just a baby when a man handed her over to our team. He claimed her mother had been startled in the forest and run away, leaving her behind. But mother orangutans never abandon their young, and will fight to the death to protect them. Sadly, that is almost certainly what happened to Rickina’s mother. Rickina herself had a machete wound on her head, a lasting sign of the attack.

Luckily the wound was not deep and healed well, though it left a large scar. Once she had finished quarantine, Rickina joined Baby School. The other babies were fascinated by her scar and crowded round to inspect it. She was overwhelmed at first, but soon began to enjoy the attention and grew braver every day.

Rickina became a lively, independent little orangutan with a big appetite, especially for rambutans. She was always first in line at feeding time and set a good example by trying new foods, even her greens. Her best friend was Rocky, and whenever he felt anxious he would run to her for a cuddle. She could be feisty too, and wasn’t afraid to give a slap or a nip to anyone she didn’t like.

When she moved up to Forest School, Rickina found taller trees to explore and began foraging for fruit, ants and termites. She grew especially close to Marie, and the two were rarely apart. She started spending days and nights in the forest, and her nest-building improved quickly, though she still liked to share a nest with Marie. She became fiercely protective of her friends, getting upset whenever the vets checked them over.

Rickina later moved to Pulau Besar, a 64-acre island of untouched forest, and then on to Setrum Island, where she mixed with orangutans of all ages. Although she’s small, she quickly became one of the most dominant females in the group. Today she can often be found alone, high in the trees, though she still enjoys time with her old friends. She has a few more skills to master, but she is well on her way back to the wild.