September, 1 2013
Doing conservation work can be exciting but also challenging and sometimes disheartening due to the hard odds arrayed against protecting habitat and animals in the wild. As a volunteer and fundraiser for OFI, I am inspired by and find a source of strength from the many young orphan orangutans I work with at OFI’s Orangutan…
Read MoreJuly, 1 2013
Dewa is a now a nine year old male orangutan who stole my heart on my very first day of volunteering in 2012 at OFI’s Orangutan Care Centre and Quarantine in Pasir Panjang, Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesia. In just one week Dewa and I became special friends. It has been such a delight getting to spend…
Read MoreMay, 24 2013
When I am with the infant and juvenile male orangutans at the Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine (OCCQ), I sometimes picture what they will look like when they are fully grown. In their first years of life, all orangutans develop slowly and maintain a fairly small size. But once they enter adolescence, male orangutans in…
Read MoreMay, 21 2013
Look at these photos of infant orangutans. What are the first thoughts that come into your head? My guess is that your reaction is something like, “So cute!” or “I want to cuddle them!” Maybe you’re even thinking, “I want one!” Unfortunately, the charms that orangutans and other primates possess push too many people to…
Read MoreMay, 17 2013
Mighty Montana The Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine (OCCQ) in Borneo is a temporary home to hundreds of young orphaned orangutans building up the skills and confidence they need to be released back into the wild. But the OCCQ is home to a small handful of fully-grown adult male orangutans as well. One of these…
Read MoreFebruary, 28 2013
I cannot believe how much Satria has changed in the time that I have known him. His expressive face and hesitant curiosity made him stand out from the start. He was the type of infant that could be described as the “runt of the litter” because of his tiny size. He also seemed very fragile.…
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