We are happy to report that baby Holland is doing very well in the orangutan nursery at Pondok Danielle. She is growing every day, both in body size and in personality. Holland really likes most fruit. This is not a surprise as wild orangutans are primarily ripe fruit eaters. Baby Holland loves bananas and rambutans very much but has recently added mangoes to her menu of favourites. Whenever she smells these delicious treats, she starts to make funny little squeaks of excitement!

During forest school, Holland does not sprint away into the forest, like some of her orangutan friends, preferring to spend time on the lap of her caregivers. Considering how young and tiny Holland is, such behaviour seems totally normal. She is still very close to her primary caregiver, Ibu Yeti. After ten minutes or so of comfort and affection in Ibu Yeti’s arms, Holland is ready to explore her surroundings and make her way into the highest trees. Brave little Holland is already a skilled and confident climber.

Sometimes, intrepid little Holland can get so busy swinging from one tree to another that she travels some distance away from her peers and caregivers. When she realises there is no one else around, her confidence quickly turns to healthy fear and she quickly turns back, sometimes squealing in apprehension. Young orangutans her age rarely venture more than a few metres from their mother’s watchful eyes and protective arms. We are pleased to see that Holland has both a strong attachment to her caregivers and an adventurous streak.

Holland is progressing well for her age, but, needless to say, as a young infant, she still has a long way to go before she will be able to make it on her own in the rainforests of Borneo. Our heartfelt thanks for supporting Holland during this critical and vulnerable age in her development. We know she will continue making progress over the next 6 months!

Click here to download Holland’s August 2017 Foster Update