Leuser : Baby orangutans rescued from Indonesia's pet trade - BBC News

BBC News

4 May 201907:44

Summary

TLDRThe Louisa Rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia, is a unique habitat where elephants, rhinos, tigers, and orangutans coexist, but it's under threat from deforestation. Over 110,000 hectares have been lost to palm oil farms and infrastructure in the past two decades. This has led to increased human-animal encounters, with orangutans being captured for pets or the black market. A rescue charity recently saved an orangutan named Bom-Bom, kept illegally by a soldier's wife. Despite it being illegal to keep orangutans as pets in Indonesia, no one has been prosecuted, and the government lacks a rescue program. Charities are left to rehabilitate and release orangutans back into the wild, but they face challenges as poaching and wildlife trafficking thrive amidst the rapid loss of their habitat.

Takeaways

🌳 The Louisa Rain Forest in Sumatra, Indonesia, is a unique habitat where elephants, rhinos, tigers, and orangutans coexist.
😔 The rainforest is being rapidly destroyed, with over 110,000 hectares lost to palm oil farming and infrastructure in the past two decades.
🐵 As the forest shrinks, orangutans increasingly encounter humans, leading to the capture of young orangutans for pets or illegal trade.
🔒 A soldier's wife was found keeping a baby orangutan as a pet, highlighting the issue of orangutans being kept in captivity by individuals.
💉 Sedating and transporting orangutans for rescue can be risky, but it's crucial for their rehabilitation and eventual release into the wild.
🈲 It's illegal in Indonesia to keep orangutans as pets, yet many high-status individuals, including government and military officials, do so without prosecution.
😢 The lack of government action means that charities are left to rescue and rehabilitate orangutans, bearing the costs and responsibilities.
👶 Orangutan mothers are fiercely protective of their infants, and many are likely killed when their babies are taken, as seen with the orangutan named Bom Bom.
🏥 Rehabilitation centers play a vital role in caring for rescued orangutans, including quarantine and eventual reintegration into the wild.
🌿 The rapid deforestation in Sumatra is not only affecting orangutans but also other wildlife, with poaching and trafficking being significant issues.
🤔 The future of the Louisa Rain Forest and its inhabitants, like Bom Bom, is uncertain due to ongoing deforestation and lack of enforcement.

Q & A

Where is the Louisa Rain Forest located?
-The Louisa Rain Forest is located on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.
What makes the Louisa Rain Forest unique?
-The Louisa Rain Forest is unique because it is one of the few places on Earth where elephants, rhinos, tigers, and orangutans still coexist.
How much of the Louisa Rain Forest has been lost in the past 20 years?
-More than 110,000 hectares of the Louisa Rain Forest have been lost to palm oil farmland and infrastructure projects in the past 20 years.
What is the impact of deforestation on orangutans?
-Deforestation is causing orangutans to come into contact with humans more frequently, leading to an increase in the capture of baby orangutans for pets or the international market.
Why was Boom Boom kept as a pet?
-Boom Boom was kept as a pet by the wife of a soldier, likely as a status symbol to show pride and power.
What is the legal status of keeping orangutans as pets in Indonesia?
-It is illegal in Indonesia to keep an orangutan as a pet.
How does the lack of enforcement affect wildlife trafficking?
-The lack of enforcement allows poachers and wildlife trafficking syndicates to have a strong foothold in Sumatra, leading to increased animal suffering.
What is the role of charities in the rescue and rehabilitation of orangutans?
-Charities on the ground are responsible for rescuing and rehabilitating orangutans, as the government has no program to do so and bears the cost of these efforts.
What is the process for a rescued orangutan like Boom Boom to be released back into the wild?
-Rescued orangutans must spend at least a couple of months in quarantine cages with no physical contact with other orangutans, waiting for test results. After this period, they will eventually be released back into the rainforest.
What is the fate of orangutan mothers whose infants are captured?
-The mothers of captured infants are almost certainly killed, as they will defend their infants with their lives and are unwilling to voluntarily hand them over.
What is the future of the Louisa Rain Forest and its inhabitants like Boom Boom in a few years?
-The future of the Louisa Rain Forest and its inhabitants is uncertain due to ongoing deforestation and the impact on wildlife, including orangutans like Boom Boom.

Outlines

00:00

🌳 Disappearing Rainforest and Orangutan Rescue

The script introduces the Louisa Rain Forest in Sumatra, Indonesia, a unique ecosystem where elephants, rhinos, tigers, and orangutans coexist. Despite being Asia's equivalent to the Amazon, it remains largely unknown and is rapidly disappearing due to the expansion of palm oil plantations and infrastructure projects. Over 110,000 hectares have been lost in the past two decades, threatening the biodiversity of the area. As the forest shrinks, orangutans increasingly encounter humans, leading to the capture of infants for pets or illegal trade. The script highlights the story of a soldier's wife who kept a young orangutan named Boom Boom as a pet for three years. The rescue charity's intervention led to the orangutan's transfer to a rehabilitation center, where it will have a chance to return to the wild. The illegality of keeping orangutans as pets in Indonesia is mentioned, along with the lack of prosecution for such acts, often involving influential individuals.

05:03

🐒 Rehabilitation Efforts and Challenges

This paragraph delves into the lack of government support for orangutan rescue and rehabilitation, leaving the responsibility to charities. The script describes the process at a rehabilitation center, where orangutans like Boom Boom spend months in quarantine before being released back into the wild. The emotional and physical bond between mother orangutans and their infants is highlighted, explaining that mothers would fight to the death to protect their young, which is often the tragic outcome when infants are captured. The script emphasizes the limited capacity of charities and the ongoing suffering of many orangutans due to the lack of enforcement against poaching and wildlife trafficking. The rapid deforestation in Sumatra is identified as a driving factor pushing animals into human paths, with a reflective question on what the future holds for orangutans like Boom Boom when they are ready for release.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Louisa Rain Forest

The Louisa Rain Forest is a unique ecosystem located on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. It is known for being one of the few places on Earth where elephants, rhinos, tigers, and orangutans coexist. The video highlights the rainforest as a central theme, emphasizing its importance and the threats it faces, such as deforestation and habitat loss.

💡Deforestation

Deforestation refers to the large-scale removal of trees and forests, often for the purpose of converting the land for agricultural or infrastructure projects. In the context of the video, deforestation is a significant issue as it has led to the loss of over 110,000 hectares of the Louisa Rain Forest, contributing to the decline of its biodiversity and the displacement of its wildlife.

💡Palm Oil

Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil derived from the palm fruit, and it is used in a wide variety of products, from food to cosmetics. The script mentions that a significant portion of the Louisa Rain Forest has been cleared for palm oil farmland, illustrating the impact of agricultural demands on natural habitats and the driving force behind deforestation.

💡Orangutan

Orangutans are a species of great ape native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. The video focuses on the plight of orangutans, which are increasingly coming into contact with humans as their habitat shrinks. It also discusses the illegal practice of keeping orangutans as pets and the efforts to rescue and rehabilitate them.

💡Habitat Loss

Habitat loss is a key environmental issue where natural environments are destroyed or altered, leading to the displacement of the species that live there. The video script describes how habitat loss in the Louisa Rain Forest is causing orangutans to encounter humans more frequently, which can lead to conflict and the capture of young orangutans.

💡Rehabilitation Center

A rehabilitation center in this context refers to a facility where rescued animals are cared for and prepared for release back into the wild. The script mentions a rehabilitation center that has released hundreds of orangutans, indicating the role these centers play in conservation efforts.

💡Illegal Pet Keeping

Illegal pet keeping is the practice of owning animals as pets without proper legal permission, often for status or personal enjoyment. The video script discusses how orangutans are kept illegally by people in positions of power, highlighting the lack of enforcement and the challenges faced by charities working to rescue these animals.

💡Wildlife Trafficking

Wildlife trafficking involves the illegal trade of animal species, often for profit. The script mentions the presence of poachers and wildlife trafficking syndicates in Sumatra, which contribute to the decline of species like the orangutan by capturing and selling them.

💡Conservation

Conservation refers to the protection and management of natural resources and wildlife to ensure their survival and sustainable use. The video's theme revolves around conservation efforts, particularly the work of charities and rehabilitation centers in saving the orangutans and their habitat.

💡Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of life in a particular ecosystem, including the number of different species and their genetic diversity. The Louisa Rain Forest is described as one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world, emphasizing the importance of preserving it to maintain this rich variety of life.

💡Quarantine Cages

Quarantine cages are used to isolate animals for a certain period to monitor their health and prevent the spread of diseases. In the script, the orangutan named Bom Bom is placed in quarantine cages as part of the rehabilitation process before being reintroduced to the wild, illustrating a necessary step in animal rescue and conservation.

Highlights

The Louisa Rain Forest in Sumatra, Indonesia, is the only place on Earth where elephants, rhinos, tigers, and orangutans coexist.

The forest is being threatened by deforestation due to palm oil farming and infrastructure projects, resulting in the loss of over 110,000 hectares in the past 20 years.

As the forest disappears, orangutans are increasingly coming into contact with humans, leading to the capture of baby orangutans for pets or the international market.

A rescue charity discovered a soldier's wife keeping a baby orangutan as a pet, highlighting the issue of illegal pet ownership.

Sedating orangutans for rescue can be risky, and the process of transporting them requires careful handling.

The orangutan, named Bom Bom, was kept in a cage for three years and was handed over to the rescue team for rehabilitation.

It is illegal in Indonesia to keep an orangutan as a pet, but there is a lack of enforcement and prosecution.

The government has no program to rescue or rehabilitate orangutans, leaving the responsibility to charities.

Rehabilitation centers have released hundreds of orangutans back into the wild, but the process is challenging and requires time.

Orangutans in rehabilitation centers have usually lost their mothers, who are often killed during the capture process.

Bom Bom, as the newest arrival, must spend time in quarantine before being introduced to other orangutans and eventually released into the wild.

Charities are limited in their capacity to rescue and rehabilitate orangutans, with many more animals at risk of being trapped or sold overseas.

The lack of enforcement against poaching and wildlife trafficking is a significant issue in Sumatra, exacerbated by rapid deforestation.

The future of the Louisa Rain Forest and its unique ecosystem is uncertain, with the potential for further loss and impact on wildlife.

The story of Bom Bom's rescue and rehabilitation serves as a beacon of hope amidst the ongoing threats to the rainforest and its inhabitants.