Wonderful, easy-going Holland. After a tumultuous couple of years, it is nice to provide our equally wonderful foster parents with an update that is sedate and serene. Whenever it is time to emerge for her daily exercise, Holland looks out expectantly. She knows the drill. Holland is unperturbed by any activity nearby, be it construction, enrichment, or fruit deliveries. There is always something happening at the Orangutan Care Centre and Quarantine (OCCQ).

Holland heads straight out to the forest as soon as her sleeping enclosure door opens. Her head quickly pops up between the trees as she climbs high among the tangled branches in the canopy. Holland is at home among the leaves and twigs. So she should be, as approximately 95% of an orangutan’s time in the wild is spent in the trees climbing, foraging, resting, and engineering nests. All of these activities Holland demonstrates with great agility. The varied mix of colours that surround her in the forest: green, orange, purple, pink, and red offer up a rich and vibrant scene.

Whenever someone arrives, declaring photographs are needed for a foster update Holland seems to think, “Here we go again.” Peanuts in the shell are on offer so the camera can do its work. After accepting this offering, Holland climbs a little higher as though knowing low angles display her best side. The photo shoot continues as Holland displays her unparalleled climbing and brachiation (arm over arm swinging) skills. The long arms of orangutans (and gibbons!) are essential for swinging through the rainforest.

To keep Holland close by, the enrichment team gives her a rattan ball filled to the top with nutritious treats. She has seen these before and has a shrewd idea of how to tear them open to get access to the treats. But first Holland holds the rattan ball up to her caregivers to signal her appreciation. She then brings the ball close to her face gazing intensely into it as if it’s a crystal which foretells the future, before proceeding to pull it apart. Once the contents are devoured, she throws the ball on the discard pile without a second thought and moves on. Holland is a highly intelligent and energetic individual. Orangutans require varied enrichment and much cognitive stimulation, and we will have to find something new to constantly challenge her in the future. As long as Holland continues to be happy and healthy, that’s all that matters to us and that’s all we care about! Thank you for fostering her and helping us help her survive and thrive.

Click here to download Holland’s February 2022 Foster Update