Enviro News Asia, Sibolangit — Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry has prepared four rehabilitated Sumatran orangutans for release into their natural habitat in Jambi Province, marking another milestone in the country’s long-term orangutan conservation efforts.
The official handover of the four orangutans took place at the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) Orangutan Conservation and Rehabilitation Centre (PKRO) in Sibolangit and was witnessed by Vice Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki during his working visit to the facility and Orangutan Haven in North Sumatra.
The four orangutans have successfully completed all stages of rehabilitation, including rescue, quarantine, medical examinations, behavioral rehabilitation, and final assessments confirming their readiness to return to the wild. Their release is part of the Ministry of Forestry’s ongoing program to restore wild populations of the critically endangered Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii).
During the visit, Rohmat reviewed rehabilitation activities conducted through a partnership between the Ministry of Forestry, the Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari (YEL), and the PanEco Foundation, a collaboration that has been operating for approximately 25 years.
Rohmat said the rehabilitation center plays a vital role in rescuing, rehabilitating, and preparing orangutans confiscated from illegal ownership, affected by human-wildlife conflict, or repatriated from overseas before they are returned to their natural habitats.
According to SOCP data, a total of 472 orangutans have undergone rehabilitation at the center. Of these, 360 individuals have been successfully reintroduced into the wild, including 214 in Jambi and 146 in the Jantho Forest Reserve in Aceh. The program has also recorded the birth of 10 wild-born orangutans in Jantho, demonstrating the successful adaptation and reproduction of rehabilitated animals in their natural environment.
As part of the visit, the Vice Minister and Ministry officials planted orangutan food trees at the rehabilitation center to help ensure long-term food availability for reintroduced populations. Rohmat also named a one-year-old male Sumatran orangutan “Garda Rimba,” symbolizing the importance of protecting forests as essential habitats for orangutans and other wildlife while encouraging greater public awareness of biodiversity conservation.
The delegation later visited Orangutan Haven, a sanctuary designed for rescued orangutans that cannot be returned to the wild because of medical conditions or behavioral limitations. The sanctuary provides a semi-natural environment where the animals can live safely while also serving as a center for conservation education, scientific research, and public awareness.
The Ministry of Forestry said Orangutan Haven complements Indonesia’s orangutan conservation strategy by ensuring that every rescued orangutan receives appropriate care based on its biological condition and welfare needs, whether through rehabilitation and release or permanent sanctuary management.
The ministry emphasized that successful orangutan conservation depends on strong collaboration among government agencies, conservation organizations, researchers, local communities, and international partners. Through continued rehabilitation, habitat protection, reintroduction programs, and sanctuary management, Indonesia aims to secure the long-term survival of the Sumatran orangutan as one of the country’s most important endemic species and a key component of tropical forest ecosystems. (*)
