Stories: Environment

Ever wondered how orangutans are returned to the wild? Rehabilitating and returning any wild animal back to its natural habitat is a complicated and complex process.

Animals that have been taken from the wild – either caught by local people, injured or even orphaned – need help to remember what should come naturally, how to find food and fend for themselves in the jungle. Animals must be in good health before they are released to give them the best chance of survival.

The release itself also involves many steps, long journeys and a series of protocols to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the animals. We have rehabilitated and released many of these orangutans back into natural habitats with Orangutan Foundation International (OFI). In December 2019, we released six more orangutans in Central Kalimantan – four in the Tanjung Puting National Park, and two in Seluang Mas. We documented the process so you can see how it works:

To date, GAR has worked with OFI to release 118 orangutans. To learn more about our partnership with them, click here.

Download a timeline of our work in helping orangutans here.