Orangutans rescued in Borneo

Photo courtesy of IAR
Photo courtesy of IAR

Our visit with International Animal Rescue‘s (IAR) veterinary staff of five, led by Dr. Karmele Llano Sanchez and Dr. Adi Irawan, highlighted the urgent need to rescue orangutans from illegal possession as well as heighten community awareness to keep orangutans free and wild in Gunung Palung National Park and adjacent protected lands. Sixty-four orangutans ranging from orphaned neonates to rescued adults inhabit the new 60-acre rehabilitation center between ASRI Klinik in Sukadana and Ketapang.

The younger orangutans leap and swing overhead in the treetops, following their caregivers across the forested rehabilitation center. Impressive progress has been made over the past two years since our last visit to IAR. The new two-phase $2 million rehabilitation center’s master plan is well on its way to being realized. Phase 1’s campus with five new buildings, including a well-equipped veterinary clinic with radiology, surgical and diagnostic facilities in addition to quarantine, diet prep, dormitory and keeper support buildings, all provide the best resources anywhere to care for orangutans in need. Vertical climbing structures and spacious pens have been constructed with many more currently underway. IAR has worked diligently with the community to save orangutans and habitat through education outreach, purchase and protection of habitat as well as joining the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) for discussions promoting protection of endangered forest.

Photo by Jeff Wyatt
Photo by Jeff Wyatt

All of the antibiotics and parasite medicine purchased by Seneca Park Zoo’s American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) Chapter were a welcomed addition to the clinic’s pharmacy. We enjoyed discussing very similar clinical challenges providing the best medical care to orangutans, be they in tropical Ketapang, Indonesia or snowy Rochester. Throughout our experiences and discussions we continued our “One Medicine – One Health” theme, connecting IAR orangutan and ASRI villager health initiatives all promoting a healthy habitat for wildlife and people.

– Dr. Jeff Wyatt, veterinarian

Saving forest in Borneo with healthy cattle, manure compost and organic farming

pic 1
Photos by Jeff Wyatt

pic 2Learning traditional medicine (especially use of local plants and seeds from farmers) and carefully listening to their priorities for improving herd health and welfare, provide a capacity-building platform for our community workshops.

Our first training session attended by thirty cattle owners from many villages surrounding Gunung Palung National Park started with coffee, cake and introductions. Classes and discussions including livestock nutrition, parasitism, housing conditions, hoof health and reproduction followed. After lunch, we enjoyed a hands-on workshop examining cattle, comparing shelter construction strategies and using our very own special recipe for making mineral salt blocks for cattle and goats.

Networking in group workshops or one-on-one with farmers and widows helps us promote best practices in livestock care and manure composting for organic farming, ultimately improving garden soil conditions and saving forest from traditional slash-and-burn practices.

– Dr. Jeff Wyatt, veterinarian