When deciding what specific projects OFI Australia should support as part of our work, the OFI Australia Board are always guided by Dr Biruté Mary Galdikas, Founder and President of Orangutan Foundation International. Dr Biruté identifies priority projects based on the needs of OFI and the Orangutan Care Centre at the time. Once funding for a specific project has been agreed upon, a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) is drawn up and signed by both parties. We are so proud to list some of OFI Australia’s achievements…
Saving the Habitat
- $250,000 contribution to enable the purchase of Rawa Kuno Village Forest, the initial milestone in creating the Orangutan Legacy Forest, thus preventing this precious land from being sold to a palm oil plantation company, an important part of our work.
- The purchase of land to create essential forested wildlife corridors connecting parcels of land within the Orangutan Legacy Forest, thus creating a large protected and interconnected orangutan habitat ‘sanctuary’.
- Contribution to finalise the construction of the Kubu Village Forest moat to protect this land from illegal logging and wildlife poaching.
- Infrastructure funding which includes the construction of a house to accommodate rangers and security staff, patrol posts and orangutan feeding stations.
- Purchase of land adjacent to orangutan daily release sites at Camp Rendell and Camp Mentawa to extend the area available to orangutans during rehabilitation.
- In total to date, OFI Australia have funded the purchase of 664 hectares of critical orangutan habitat. This does not include funding towards the original purchase of the Rawa Kuno Village Forest.
The Reforestation Project
- Since the devastating forest fires of 2015 and 2019, OFI Australia has continued to raise funds through an ongoing Reforestation Appeal. The funds enable Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) to employ and train local Indonesian staff to travel to remote forest areas to forage for seeds and seedlings from the forest.
- A nursery to house the seedlings was constructed at the OFI Herbarium from locally sourced timber and netting. This nursery has the current capacity to house a total of 50,000 seedlings.
- Reforestation staff work at the OFI Herbarium to cultivate the seeds and seedlings of key plant species.
- This work continues … sourcing, planting and nurturing saplings and seeds, and when mature, replanting them in the burnt out area of The Orangutan Legacy Forest.
- From June to December 2018, the OFI reforestation team planted over 130,000 trees of 19+ species, including swamp and fruiting trees, in 8 different locations within The Orangutan Legacy Forest and OFI wildlife corridor.
- We are so very happy and proud to report that OFI have now planted a phenomenal 915,000 trees since the inception of OFI’s Reforestation Project in 2016! There has been a survival rate of over 85% with some trees now over 2.5 metres tall. Heartbreakingly, during the the bushfires in late 2023, many trees burnt down, so the Reforestation Project continues.
OFI Care Centre and Quarantine
- Construction of new infant orangutan sleeping enclosures in the nursery section and other orangutan ”pondoks”/camps throughout the Care Centre.
- Construction of numerous steel enclosures for adult male orangutans within the Care Centre.
- Construction of numerous steel enclosures in the Care Centre Quarantine Section for orangutans being prepared for release back into the wild.
- Purchase of land to expand the OFI Care Centre, to protect forest school areas and stop encroaching housing developments.
- Purchase of a 10,000-watt Generator to provide permanent electricity to the Care Centre, hospital and local village, in the case of the very regular power outages, along with the funds to build the shelter to house and “orangutan-proof” the generator.
- Purchase of a large truck equipped with two huge water bins and pressure pumps so it can be used as a “fire engine” during the next and future fire seasons. The truck is also used for a myriad of purposes including the delivery of fruit and other supplies. The best bit is that the truck fits two large adult male orangutan transport cages at a time so it can be used when translocating rescued orangutans and also for rehabilitated orangutan releases.
- Purchase of Toyota Fortuner 4 x 4 pick up truck with double cabin and yearly wages for driver.
- Purchase of new staff uniforms for all OFI staff and rangers.
- Donation of X-Ray, ultrasound and autoclave machines to the Care Centre Hospital, along with many other hospital supplies.
- Purchase of new operating table, theatre operating lights, digital multi-media microscope, orthopaedic surgical equipment, a Hyfrecator electrosurgical system and vital signs patient monitor.
- Funding to train the OFI veterinary staff in dental care, including extractions and fillings, and the diagnosis and management of dental disease. Dental disease is common in rescued orangutans being held in care. The main causes being that an orangutan’s diet consists mainly of fruit, which can be high in sugars, and also sadly through malnutrition in the rescued infants that come into care. We are so grateful to Sydney Taronga Zoo’s Senior Veterinarian Dr Larry Vogelnest and Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital’s Senior Veterinarian Dr Chantal Whitten who travelled to Borneo to do this training with the OFI vet team.
- The purchase of specialised dental equipment including a dental x-ray machine, teeth cleaning devices and a sophisticated tooth extraction tool called an IM3 Vet-tome.
- Funding for the yearly cost of processing blood tests for all orangutans as part of their yearly major medical health check.
- Air conditioning for the Care Centre hospital.
- Vast amounts of vitamins, tranquilisers, antibiotics and essential medical supplies are donated on a regular basis.
- Replacement of lightning rods, cables and wiring for Care Centre buildings.
- The yearly cost of purchasing soy milk for all orangutans at the Care Centre. Many orangutans are lactose intolerant and show better overall health when soy milk is given as part of their daily diet.
- Funding towards providing essential food and nourishment for orangutans.
- Funding for full-time care for special needs orangutan Hockey so she receives the quality of life she deserves including daily forest visits and the physiotherapy she needs.
- Yearly wages for full time veterinary nurse at Care Centre hospital.
- Regular funding to purchase orangutan enrichment supplies and the donation of enrichment items such as nursery swings, hammocks and Kong balls. Enrichment is a crucial part of caring for the physical and mental health of the orangutans.
2015 and 2019 Fire Appeal
- Purchase of crucial fire-fighting equipment including walkie talkies, water knapsacks hoses, buckets, masks, protective clothing and shoes.
- Purchase of two specialised tractors enabling OFI staff and firefighters to transport needed equipment off road, closer to the fire locations.
- The building of two guard posts – one to replace a guard post lost in the fires and also the construction of a new one; and the rebuilding of lost feeding platforms.
- Funds to prepare and equip OFI for future fire seasons.
Montana’s (1st) Haha
- Funds provided to build a self-sufficient staff camp adjacent to Montana’s Haha to include a concrete house with four bedrooms, separate kitchen, water storage and tower, bore well, generator and solar power, as well as funds to help complete construction of Montana’s Haha.
2nd and 3rd Haha
- Funds to construct a 2 x 2-hectare Hahas (an area of forest surrounded by a dry moat and concrete wall) providing a large enclosed and safe space for the daily release of orangutans. These huge areas will be used as a training ground to give rehabilitated orangutans the freedom to fine tune their forest skills and be assessed for permanent release.
Tanjung Puting National Park
- Purchase of several parcels of land to protect vital wildlife habitat corridors running along the Sekonyer River from being bought by palm oil plantations.
- Purchase of a 48-hectare parcel of land along the Sekonyer River, opposite Tanjung Puting National Park. This critical purchase prevented a mining concession from taking their land all the way to the river’s edge, thus blocking an essential wildlife corridor and access to water for all the animals who share this habitat.
Lamandau Reserve
- Funding for the re-establishment of permanent OFI orangutan release site camps at Lamandau Reserve, in particular towards staff wages and sleeping quarters, orangutan food and general infrastructure costs.
Sun Bears
- Funding contribution towards successful life-changing surgery for rescued sun bear, Selina, to help improve her quality of life.
- Organisation and funding for world first, life-saving surgery for rescued sun bear Hitam, a tragic victim of illegal wildlife trafficking. We are so grateful to Gold Coast orthopaedic surgeon Dr Gordon Corfield, Taronga Zoo’s senior veterinarian Dr Larry Vogelnest, veterinarian Dr Stephen van Mil and specialist vet nurse Hayley O’Mara, who travelled to Borneo to perform this marathon 8-hour surgery.
- Funding contribution towards the construction of a one-hectare sun bear haha at Camp Rendall to include permanent housing/dens for 5 sun bears who are unable to be released back into the wild.
We simply cannot thank you enough for your support – we could not have achieved any of this without you.
On behalf of the orangutans of Borneo and all at OFI Australia, we extend our huge appreciation and sincere gratitude.