Ryan … complex and spirited.

Social. This is the word that perfectly describes Ryan. He shares his sleeping enclosure with his friend Tungka but every time he is out in the forest, he enjoys playing with all his orangutan peers. Ryan always finds his way to fellow orangutan, Jambul 2. The two butt heads and persistently wrestle together on the ground.

Persistent. Another word that perfectly describes Ryan. He is not one to give up. When wrestling with Jambul 2 he refuses to let him have the last word. Ryan also enjoys “testing” new members of the staff to find out how far he can go. Eventually, after some time he tires out the new staff member and wanders off into the forest.

Wanderer. Another word to describe Ryan. He races along the forest floor travelling far and wide. He checks out the undergrowth before performing some gardening. Orangutans are known as the “gardeners of the forest”, so this seems appropriate. He gathers leaves and branches with his feet while using his giant rake-like hands to comb through the soft dirt. Ryan is very content here in the forest. However, the calm is sometimes disturbed by the rumbling of his stomach.

Foodie. Another descriptive! He samples all the wild forest fruits he doesn’t receive back at Pondok Medang as well as the cultivated fruits provided by the staff. Fruit hangs out of his mouth as he lazily chomps away. Ryan can be picky. Soft fruits are usually rejected out of hand. He expects only the finest and firmest ripe fruit we can offer. He also has a great love for honey and tenaciously seeks that out in the canopy.

There are many words to describe Ryan! He isn’t just one thing. He is a complex individual full of spirit, spunk, and love of adventure. It’s exciting to see what he will do next.

Click here to download Ryan’s August 2021 Foster Update