Thanks to your support, orangutans across Southeast Asia will receive better care than ever before.
In July 2025, the Orangutan Conservancy helped bring together veterinarians, researchers, and conservation leaders from across Southeast Asia and beyond for the Orangutan Veterinary Advisory Group (OVAG) Workshop—five days dedicated to improving the health and welfare of orangutans and other primates.
This year’s workshop, hosted in Kuching, Sarawak, was a vibrant exchange of ideas, techniques, and stories from the field. It was a powerful reminder of how your donations fuel the connections, training, and innovation that keep orangutans safe and healthy.
Day 1: Context, Conservation, and Case Studies
The workshop opened with remarks from Malaysian government representatives and OVAG organizers, setting the tone for a week of international collaboration.
Participants learned about One Health approaches to tackling respiratory threats—a leading concern for orangutans—and heard urgent conservation perspectives from Sarawak experts.
Case studies covered real-life challenges and successes, including:
- Air sacculitis trends in Sumatran orangutans
- Tuberculosis management in macaques
- Newborn rescue cases in Borneo
- Outbreak response to Klebsiella pneumonia
Each presentation sparked discussion, with participants sharing what works—and what needs more research—in the fight to protect primate health.
Days 2 & 3: Training to Save Lives
The middle of the week focused on hands-on clinical skills essential for field and sanctuary work. Participants trained in:
- Emergency airway management & CPR for great apes
- Sedation and anesthesia in critical care situations
- Radiograph and ultrasound interpretation for respiratory diagnosis
These sessions were more than academic—they provided skills that can mean the difference between life and death for orangutans in the wild and in rehabilitation centers.
Daily mindfulness breaks reminded attendees that self-care supports animal care, reinforcing that the health of conservation workers is integral to the health of the animals they protect.
Day 4: Field Experience & Mental Health
Day 4 combined science with the field, beginning with a session on primate respiratory pathology and the mental health challenges faced by wildlife professionals.
In the afternoon, participants visited Semenggoh Wildlife Center, where they saw firsthand how orangutan habitat is managed and how rescue operations are carried out. The visit brought theory to life, showing the real-world environments where their new skills will be applied.
Day 5: Innovation & the Future
The final day focused on the future of primate health care:
- Advanced imaging techniques for diagnosis
- Capacity building updates from OVAID, ARKO, and YIARI
- OVAG’s history and long-term vision
A lively Jeopardy-style review wrapped up the week before the closing dinner—a celebration of the new connections, strengthened skills, and shared commitment to orangutan conservation.
Your Support Made This Possible
From the first handshake at registration to the last conversation over dinner, the 2025 OVAG Workshop was a testament to what can happen when passionate people come together—and it happened because of you.
Every skill learned, every connection made, and every orangutan helped in the months ahead will be part of your impact.
