Hockey has grown into a sweet orangutan beloved by all who know her. She only needs to gaze into your eyes for a moment for you to fall under her spell. After you meet her, you want to do everything you can for her. Don’t be fooled though. Hockey is no push over. This good-natured orangutan knows what she does and does not want! One thing that Hockey does want is to get her time out in the forest. Every second day Hockey is placed into her “gerobak” (Indonesian word for ‘cart’) and, like a queen in her carriage, is wheeled out into the forest. Here Hockey gets to enjoy time in nature, with the sounds, sights, and smells of the forest all around her. She is also able to feel a part of the action as she is taken to the part of the forest where the other orphaned orangutans play. For Hockey, this is her chance to fit in with her peers and also enjoy time in nature.
Hockey has been gaining in strength, thanks to her physiotherapy sessions, and is now able to sit up on her own! Seeing Hockey sitting up under the forest canopy is very special for her caregivers. Some days Hockey is active, moving around and enjoying being outside and feeling the grass and leaves. Other days she is more reflective and prefers to gaze up at the sky, watching the clouds drift overhead. Hockey’s dedicated caregivers love watching her progress and instinctively anticipate her wants before she “asks”. Hockey also loves her time out in the forest because she has her hair brushed. Hockey has some of the most beautiful, long and lush hair of any orangutan at the OCCQ. Laying in the sun after a bath, Hockey’s hair shimmers in the rays of the sun as her caregivers brush her long locks.
It is a joy to see Hockey make the most out of life and continue to gain strength. With daily love and care from her caregivers, there is hope that Hockey will continue to gain in strength and independence! She is a shining example of an individual’s will to live and be content with what life has given her.