Malaysian online paper Free Malaysia Today published a edited version of our Press Release regarding the horror use and exploitation of a ex-rehabilitant orang-utan at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (SORC) in Sabah, Malaysia.

Mowgli, who will turn 13 this year, arrived at Sepilok aged only a month old after his mother was likely killed by oil palm plantation workers. Mowgli was sent to the 6-star hotel Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort a few hours away from Sepilok for commercial purposes, but under the pretence of rehabilitation. Next, he was sent to the local zoo and was used in its animal shows and Mowgli was made to paint among others.

The Sabah Wildlife Department now plans to release Mowgli into the Sepilok-Kabili forest. Read below why this must not happen. Friends of the Orangutans is working on this matter and updates will be published here.

Below is the full and unedited version of our Press Release:

A local orangutan NGO is up in arms over what it claims is a case of exploitation of an orangutan in Sabah. Mowgli (13), is an orphan orangutan who arrived at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (SORC) for rehabilitation when he was only a month old in 2002, and is said to have been exploited by irresponsible parties since infancy and there are fears over his wellbeing in the near future.

According to Malaysian orangutan NGO, Friends of the Orangutans (FOTO), Mowgli was sent to the Shangri-la Rasa Ria hotel at age two and back at Sepilok three years later and transferred to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park zoo near Kota Kinabalu, where this orangutan was used in animal shows, performing tricks including painting.

Upreshpal Singh, Director of FOTO said “What has been done to Mowgli is a tragedy. His is a tragic case of orangutan use and abuse, which still happens in Sabah till this day. He has been on the receiving end since only a month old, when his mother was likely killed by oil palm plantation workers.

“He was sent to the Rasa Ria hotel for commercial purposes under the pretense of rehabilitation and next to the Lok Kawi zoo to be used in shows. His chances of an independant life in the forest was wrecked since he was an infant, and this is utterly unacceptable.”

Singh added the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) indicated to the NGO that Mowgli will be rehabilitated at the SORC for eventual release into the Sepilok-Kabili forest, which is 4,400 hectares in size. This comes after Mowgli had lived in the Lok Kawi zoo and also used in animal performances.

“After years of exploitation, Mowgli will now be used to woo tourists at Sepilok, this has got nothing to do with rehabilitation. A 12 year old ex performing male orangutan is not a candidate for wild release and the only reason Mowgli isn’t used at Lok Kawi zoo any longer is because he has become too big to handle. As he doesn’t have the skills to survive on his own, Mowgli will depend on daily food rationing at the SORC feeding platform, thus enabling tourists to be titillated by the presence of him and other orangutans.”

Friends of the Orangutans is asking the SWD to not release Mowgli into the Sepilok-Kabili forest for the safety of tourists, other orangutans and Mowgli himself, explaining that Mowgli might contract disease from tourists (and vice-versa), putting the health of his and other orangutans in the Sepilok-Kabili forest at risk. Tourism is also not allowed in great ape rehabilitation centres, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) guidelines.

“For some months now we have privately asked the SWD not to send Mowgli to Sepilok, but all our pleas were ignored. Mowgli is too habituated to be released into the Sepilok-Kabili forest and may contract disease from tourist from touching or getting too close to them. Moreover, he will be 13 years old this year, growing bigger and stronger, and at this age can seriously injure tourists. And when this happens, it’s him who will pay the price, like what has likely happened to other orangutans from reports we have received from unknown individuals. Those irresponsible parties who have made profits from exploiting Mowgli, including the Rasa Ria Resort, should now pay for Mowgli’s lifetime care in captivity, with excellent care including daily enrichment provided.”

Singh also added the whereabouts of another orangutan is also unknown, and the NGO is concerned.

“More than a year ago we reported to SWD about Jackie the orangutan, a seemingly habituated wild orangutan who was also a tourist attraction at the Ranau Poring Hot Springs area. We were told she would also be sent to Sepilok but we have not got any updates on her despite numerous attempts to seek answers from SWD.”

The Director of FOTO concluded by urging all tourists to stay away from the SORC until Mowgli and Jackie’s future is resolved and that there is confirmation the former will not be released into the Sepilok-Kabili forest.

“Please don’t go to Sepilok to see orangutans until we know Mowgli and Jackie are safe and their future secured.”

Katarina update:

She has found to be in good health, physically and mentally, and disease free! Taiping Zoo is now trying to integrate Katarina with the other orangutans in the night den, and all the signs are good so far. Eventually the zoo will introduce Katarina to the other orangutans at the zoo (there are now four females at the zoo including Katarina).

In other good news, the zoo is upgrading its orangutan enclosure. All orangutans will remain off exhibit for now. Their den is connected to two exercise yards so they remain physically active.

The Lower Kinabatangan region of Sabah is at risk of more deforestation for palm oil. Orangutans, Borneo pygmy elephants and other animals live in this part of Sabah too. Forests in the Lower Kinabatangan is already much affected by fragmentation mostly due to palm oil development.

We are working hard to obtain more information on this matter.

There are approximately 11,000 orangutans (Pongo Pygmaeus Morio subspecies) left in the Malaysian Borneo state of Sabah with more than 1,000 of them in the Lower Kinabatangan region.

Full details on this matter is available in our Press Release below:

Huge forest under threat from ‘unsuitable’ oil palm

KOTA KINABALU: A huge swathe of forest in Sabah stretching for 100km on the Lower Kinabatangan is in danger of being lost by conversion to oil palm planting, despite being unsuitable, says a wildlife conservation group.

The forest covers 25,000 hectares and is under threat of conversion to oil palm, says Upreshpal Singh, director of the Friends of the Orangutan group, quoting a published study.

He said the study entitled, “Synergies for Improving Oil Palm Production and Forest Conservation in Floodplain Landscapes” and published by www.plosone.org had concluded that “this huge area of forest is unsuitable for any form of agricultural planting, as two-thirds of it are seasonally flooded. Worse, if this same area is turned in oil palm plantations, an additional 15,000 hectares of failed planting will happen”.

He urged the state government to turn the forest into a wildlife sanctuary or Class I forest reserve and to cancel all plans for deforestation in the Kinabatangan region.

“No one will benefit from oil palm plantation in this area, we’re talking about massive amounts of financial loss for smallholders,” he said. “The problem of fragmented forests in the Kinabatangan region will only get worse and will thus increase the problem of wildlife-human conflict, and it’s the orangutans and other animals who will suffer.

“The lower parts of the Lower Kinabatangan floodplain have lost most of their forest cover following conversion to agriculture. Scientific studies also revealed that the remaining orangutan population is a mere 5 to 10% of the original numbers in the area”.

He urged Sabah chief minister Musa Aman, to protect the forest before it is gone forever, taking along with it the remaining orangutans, pygmy elephants and other animals.

He said great ape tourism in Africa raked in millions of tourist dollars every year, while responsible and ethical orangutan tourism in the wilderness of Sabah is virtually non-existent. This can not only be another reason to protect our forests, but also increase the income of local communities.”

end

Link to full Press Release:

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2015/02/21/huge-forest-under-threat-from-unsuitable-oil-palm/

‘Synergies for Improving Oil Palm Production and Forest Conservation in Floodplain Landscapes’ can be download from here.

Following dialogues between us and two Malaysian zoos, Melaka Zoo and A’Famosa Resort Safari Zoo (both approximately 2 hours south of Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur), both have agreed to start enrichment programmes for their orangutans, 11 in total.

Just getting zoos here to agree to adopt an enrichment programme is a big progress for captive orangutans in Malaysia, considering the standard of husbandry and care provided for animals in captivity in general here.

Friends of the Orangutans is working hard to help make both zoo’s commitment a reality.