Rocky is loving life with 16 other orangutans on Ali Island at the IAR orangutan rescue centre in West Kalimantan. He is very active and spends a lot of his time socialising with the other orangutans. Rocky is also very brave and not afraid to play and wrestle with his bigger and stronger orangutan friends. He can be quite aggressive towards the orangutan keepers who he does not like.
Rocky still hasn’t mastered the art of making a good nest of his own from scratch, however he can repair and modify the old nests of other orangutans to make a comfy bed. His favourite place to sleep is on a branch that is not too high from the ground.
His ability to forage for forest foods has improved quite rapidly over the last few months which is excellent. He spends a lot of time in the trees looking for food, where he forages for fruits, young leaves, bark and other delicious items. The orangutans also receive some supplementary food from the orangutan keepers and Rocky is not a fussy eater. He eats any and all of the various fruits and vegetables that are brought by the orangutan keepers.
It is wonderful to see Rocky doing so well on Ali Island and that he has the freedom to explore and forage during the COVID-19 pandemic which has greatly impacted orangutans in care centres across Indonesia. Well done Rocky!
Rickina is becoming more independent and spending less time near the human keepers on Ali Island at the IAR orangutan rescue centre in West Kalimantan. This is a very positive development as Rickina becomes older. She is often seen making nests or foraging alone. She also like to play with other orangutans at times including Ongky, Anjas and Pedro.
Rickina is an excellent and diligent nest-builder and she has been observed making nests three to five times a day to rest or to take a quick nap. Don’t we all wish we could have a few naps a day! Learning all those jungle skills must certainly be tiring.Rickina likes exploring the forest by swinging and hanging from liana vines and tree branches, a very useful and essential skill needed for forest school graduation. She continues to show great skill at foraging for various natural forest foods including fruits, cambium, flowers, young leaves, and insects.
It is wonderful to see Rickina further develop her confidence and skills on Ali Island and that she has the freedom to explore and forage during the COVID-19 pandemic which has greatly impacted orangutans in care centres across Indonesia. Well done Rickina!
Photos: Rocky on top row and Rickina on bottom row
