The arrival at OFI’s Care Centre can often be a difficult transition for some orangutans. Although they are safe and receive medical care, a proper diet and love and attention from the caregivers, it can still be another stressful time for them, which comes on top of other stressful periods that they may have already endured during their short lives. This stress can result in them losing weight and hair as they adjust to a new environment, new routine and interact with the other orangutans. This was the case for Mabel, who lost weight and hair after her arrival at the Care Centre. However in the last few months, Mabel has found her groove and has made a great physical transformation. Her hair has grown into a comedic style; the long wispy hairs around her mouth almost resembles a goatee type beard while the hair on her head grows straight up as if she is playing with electricity.
When it’s time to head to forest school, Mabel is the first one out the enclosure door. Whilst many of the younger orangutans stay close to their caregivers, not so Mabel. Mabel is not interested in the crowd and will head in the opposite direction to the others, often venturing into the forest alone, searching for fruit atop the tallest trees. This means that a specific caregiver needs to be assigned to follow her, to ensure she doesn’t get lost or venture into places she shouldn’t go.
Mabel will sit, unfussed, high in the trees eating fruit on her own, enjoying the peace and quiet and the plentiful fruit supply she has found all to herself. Some orangutans have picked up on her fruit finding skill however, and watch Mabel as she climbs a fruiting tree. She is now joined frequently by her enclosure mates, Kelvin and Hoffman, who want to share her bounty. The fruit finding skills that Mabel possesses has also expanded the forest skills of her new friends. Hopefully Mabel can also learn some new skills and tricks from her following fan club to continue her rehabilitation progress