All orangutans are special but sometimes some are just slightly more special than others in that you remember them better. They stand out. They catch your eye and suddenly you can’t stop observing them. This happened to me with Piko, a male juvenile orangutan at the Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine… Continue reading Orangutan of the Month: Dynamic Piko
Tag: OOTM
Orangutan Of The Month: Anna with the Striking Eyes
The sun shines fiercely as I stand in the forest, head craned towards the treetops. Moments before I had an orangutan in my sights but now she has seemingly disappeared. I know she has gone in the direction where I am looking, but I seem to have lost track of her. High in the canopy,… Continue reading Orangutan Of The Month: Anna with the Striking Eyes
Orangutan Of The Month: Enigmatic Nawi
There are over three hundred orangutans at the Orangutan Foundation International’s Care Center and Quarantine (OCCQ) in Pasir Panjang, Kalimantan, Indonesia. When it’s time to choose an orangutan to profile each month for OFI’s website, narrowing it down to just one can be overwhelming! Each and every orphan orangutan, big or small, is charismatic in… Continue reading Orangutan Of The Month: Enigmatic Nawi
Orangutan of the Month: Getting to know ESRI
Out of all the orangutans I met during my stay at the Care Center, none surprised me quite as much as ESRI did. With her long, tapered face and somewhat crossed eyes, ESRI’s appearance is sweetly demure, yet she was one of the first orangutans to test me as a new OFI volunteer. In my first… Continue reading Orangutan of the Month: Getting to know ESRI
Orangutan of the Month: Kino’s Journey
When I first arrived at the Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine more than six months ago, Kino was one of the first orangutans I met. Like me, he was a newcomer to the orangutan orphanage. His body was riddled with bullet casings and noticeably devoid of hair, evidence of the trauma he had undoubtedly already… Continue reading Orangutan of the Month: Kino’s Journey
Orangutan of the Month: Mimi the Marvel!
Mimi first arrived to the Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine many years ago as a young baby. Her bright and friendly manner immediately captured the attention of both the Care Center staff and volunteers. Initial field notes on Mimi’s condition reported her “silly” nature and cute, little, pot belly. But the shock of Mimi’s rapidly… Continue reading Orangutan of the Month: Mimi the Marvel!
November 2014: Sweet Sally
It is morning at the Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine. The soft light of the post dawn sky filters through the tree tops as the orangutans enjoy their breakfast of bananas and coconuts. Sally, a large adult female, has caught my eye. She has finished eating her breakfast and is interested in something a little… Continue reading November 2014: Sweet Sally
Ariel the Archaeologist
Every morning in the grounds of OFI’s Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine, young orphaned orangutans on their daily release take to the trees for a day of riotous, energetic play. The forest canopy shakes with their tree-top romps as orangutans of all ages wrestle and chase each other to exhaustion. In this sea of exuberant… Continue reading Ariel the Archaeologist
Orangutan of the Month: Maggie
Maggie is a feisty youngster and won’t let you forget it! If she’s not somersaulting into her playmates than it’s safe to bet she is swinging your way, waiting for just the right opportunity to topple directly on top of you! She only wants to play, of course, and at her tender age, Maggie simply… Continue reading Orangutan of the Month: Maggie
Brave Little Ben: Orangutan of the month
When I arrived at the Care Center more than six months ago, Ben was the smallest infant in OFI’s care. He always seemed a little timid, and when he was taken into the forest, he was often too afraid to explore the trees. Instead, he liked to cuddle up in a caregiver’s lap where he… Continue reading Brave Little Ben: Orangutan of the month