As Ryan’s head pops out from behind a tree, his face displays exactly what he is thinking. He enjoys the freedom to roam and do as he pleases. He takes a seat on the soft earth beneath him. It’s much more satisfying than a sleeping enclosure. Life isn’t too bad here. Suddenly there is a rustle in the undergrowth next to him. From the shadows appears another male orangutan, Robert. These days Ryan has met his match with Robert. Robert enjoys following Ryan around the forest. The pair embark on a merry dance through the undergrowth that spills upwards into the trees. Here Ryan and Robert swing and chase each other through the canopy. When they finally encounter one another in the forest they will butt heads and wrestle, bite, and pull at each other. This all may sound aggressive, but orangutans are said to be seven times stronger than humans and the two young orangutan orphans often end their encounter with a friendly hug.

Once Ryan has had enough and wants to spend time by himself, he climbs high into the canopy reaching an impressive 20 metres plus. Orangutans typically climb more than 40 metres high in the wild. In the past Ryan would regularly make nests while situated on the ground, but he has started engineering nests in the trees. He breaks and folds branches until it forms a large circle. He piles these up and weaves them into a day nest. However, it isn’t long before Ryan gets itchy feet as he prefers to grab a vine and swing through the trees. Ryan has found plenty of wild fruits and leaves that he enjoys, but hasn’t attempted anything new for some time. We will continue to provide opportunities for him to try new foods. One day we are sure he will finally give them a taste.

Ryan shows great promise with his foraging skills, nest making, and intrepid spirit. Eventually he will return to the wild. At that time we are sure he will give any wild orangutans a run for their money.

Click here to download Ryan’s February 2023 Foster Update