The Orangutan Conservancy has long been a supporter of Dr. Ian Singleton and the work of his Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) in Sumatra, and now we are thrilled to announce our support for SOCP’s next big venture – Orangutan Haven.
Already in the works, Orangutan Haven will provide unreleasable orangutans with a high quality semi-wild environment where they can live out the rest of their days in relative comfort. The planned 48-hectare sanctuary will allow orangutans who otherwise would have had to permanently stay in a rescue facility the opportunity to live a wild and natural existence while giving them added levels of safety for their future.
The Orangutan Haven brochure further explains that Orangutan Haven will: “inform the public on the plight facing wild orangutans and other species in their natural habitat; and the impact they themselves have on this; educate visitors about species and habitat conservation, the environment and sustainable development and improve awareness of the importance of maintaining Medan’s principal water catchment area, in which the site sits.”
The first orangutans that will call Orangutan Haven home will be Leuser (male, aged 15) who is blind after being shot 62 times with an air rifle, Tila (female, aged 12) is a carrier of human hepatitisB, even though she suffers no symptoms, and Dek Nong (female, 14 years old) suffers from a chronic arthritic condition. There will no doubt be other orangutans who cannot be released into the wild that will join the first group in the coming years.
The site of Orangutan Haven is a mix agriculture area that has a guaranteed supply of fresh clean water year round. It is enclosed on all sides by gently sloping forested hillsides. Four main island habitats will be constructed, surrounded by water moats to separate the orangutans from the people.
The Orangutan Conservancy will provide updates about the progess of Orangutan Haven’s construction in the months ahead.
Please join the Orangutan Conservancy in support of this important project by making a donation today.
