In anticipation of TV special “Orangutan Rescue: Back To The Wild” on Nat Geo WILD tonight at 8pm, International Animal Rescue has added two of its stars to its list of orangutans available for adoption.
Orphan babies Gunung and Joyce are two of the rescue centre’s most endearing characters. With her spirit of adventure, Joyce is inclined to lead Gunung astray, while he refuses to be parted from her, no matter how far from home she takes him.
Three month old Gunung was extremely skinny and he only weighed 2kg when he arrived at the rescue centre. The vets found lots of little red spots on his belly and chest, possibly from an allergic reaction. He had a deep, infected wound on the right side of his head - perhaps caused by the impact of falling from a tree. He was treated with lotion for his skin and his wound was cleaned every day and treated with antibiotic cream. Thanks to this care he was completely recovered in less than a week.
Joyce had been living closely with humans in the comfort of air conditioning and a bed to sleep in at night before she was rescued, so she had some big adjustments to make. She was in good health but her previous diet had consisted mostly of rice and milk, so the transition to a more complete and nutritious diet was started immediately.
Her previous owners originally bought her from a man who was trying to trade her for some petrol for his motorbike. She must have been only a few months old at the time, as she was just over a year old when she was brought in. Unfortunately, this probably means that her orangutan mother had died or, more likely, been killed.
Alan Knight, IAR Chief Executive said: “Viewers can’t fail to be moved by the orangutans depicted in the documentary this evening. They are all delightful creatures and the babies are particularly endearing. But the stories of how they came to be orphaned and end up in our rescue centre are heartbreaking. We hope people will be moved to support the work we’re doing to rescue and rehabilitate them – and one way to do this is by adopting an orangutan and making a regular donation. In return, people receive exclusive information and updates about their adopted animal and have the satisfaction of supporting an extremely worthy cause. If it weren’t for International Animal Rescue and the people who support us, most of these orangutans would be dead by now. They desperately need all the help they can get if they are ever to return to a safe place in the wild. We’re hoping Nat Geo viewers will receive this message loud and clear when they watch the programme and sign up for an adoption for themselves – or as a gift for a loved one.