It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Siswi, arguably Orangutan Foundation International’s (OFI) most famous and beloved orangutan, passed away towards the end of 2021 after a short illness. Siswi was 43 years old and it was 43 years filled with as much drama, comedy and tragedy that any of… Continue reading IN MEMORIAM: Orangutan 1978 – 2021 SISWI Much Loved!
Author: Philip Stubley
Bear of the Year: HILDA A Big Bear with a Big Personality
An urgent call, a life on the line. Dr. Galdikas took the call in Pasir Panjang, Central Indonesian Borneo.This is how Hilda’s involvement with OFI came to pass. Since OFI took in its first sun bear, Desi in 2008, it was almost inevitable that more would follow. In 2012 an informant tipped off OFI that… Continue reading Bear of the Year: HILDA A Big Bear with a Big Personality
Orangutan of the Month August – November 2020
BAMA: Curious girl Searcher and Explorer
Away deep in the woods, life goes on at Camp Rendell, an adjunct facility to OFI’s Care Center in Central Borneo. An orangutan “soft release” is taking place. The daily soft release process sees the wild born ex-captive orangutans taken out in the morning from their sleeping enclosures and brought back in the late afternoon.… Continue reading Orangutan of the Month August – November 2020
BAMA: Curious girl Searcher and Explorer
Orangutans of the Month June and July 2020
NATALIE AND CANTIK: THE ROAD HOME
2020 has been a year of ups and downs, but among the stories of isolation and quarantine, there are those of freedom. Freedom well-earned by two orangutans, Natalie and Cantik! Cantik is an Indonesian word which in English means “pretty”. All orangutans are beautiful in their own way. It is a close contest between Natalie… Continue reading Orangutans of the Month June and July 2020
NATALIE AND CANTIK: THE ROAD HOME
The four Bears from Pontianak: Bears of May 2020
It is hard to believe that on a glorious hot day in May 2018, in amongst a quiet forest, the almost soundless patter of bear paws on leaves actually represented the culmination of months of hard work. From their arrival at the Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine (OCCQ) in Central Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) on Christmas… Continue reading The four Bears from Pontianak: Bears of May 2020
Wild Orangutan Translocations
The daily commute back and forth to work is something we can all conjure up in our mind’s eye. Imagine one day if you were on your normal route but found, to your dismay, that it had been destroyed, replaced by something else, and you were forbidden to enter on pain of death. This is… Continue reading Wild Orangutan Translocations
Herbarium Photo Essay: Shoots, Seedlings, and Saplings of Hope
OFI’s Herbarium is an incubator for hope. In the plant nurseries, thousands of healthy shoots aim skywards. OFI staff are raising these native plant species in order to reforest crucial Bornean forests, re-creating a home for the unique flora and fauna of this island.
Orangutan of the Month for September, 2019: Boncel
Back to the Wild
The release of an orangutan back to the wild is a culmination of many years of hard and dedicated work. It is a profound moment when wild born ex-captive orangutans are finally released and free to live as they choose in the forest. It is not a straight and narrow path and, very, very occasionally,… Continue reading Orangutan of the Month for September, 2019: Boncel
Back to the Wild
Orangutan of the Month for August 2019: Mumui,
Explorer in the Making
Youth is a time when individuals are trying to find their way through life. It is a time of experimentation, trying new things, and seeing what suits us. Through exploration and challenge, young orangutan Mumui is learning more about herself and her surroundings. In her own way she follows the example of great explorers and… Continue reading Orangutan of the Month for August 2019: Mumui,
Explorer in the Making
Bear of the Month for July, 2019: ORI,
Komet’s best friend
Some sun bears are instantly more recognisable than others, Ori is one of them, with his big head and wide set eyes. He sports a white bib like chest patch. During morning feeding he bounds into the communal area with gusto, requiring much “fuel for the fire” for the day to come. At the time… Continue reading Bear of the Month for July, 2019: ORI,
Komet’s best friend