We earlier announced on our website we would be bringing you update on Jackie the orangutan.
Based on our investigation it was easy to determine that Jackie was indeed used to lure tourist money, for 20 years. Our questions to the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) following the first and only reply to our initial email has gone unanswered. None of the five follow up emails were replied. Among others we asked if the SWD would prosecute those irresponsible parties for exploiting Jackie, and why did the SWD not take action in saving Jackie much earlier.
Due to other pressing issues and the fact that Jackie has been saved by the Sabah Wildlife Department, FOTO needs to switch attention to other issues involving orangutans in Malaysia, while we are also actively looking to expand.
However, we have asked the SWD to keep us informed on the progress of Jackie and we will contact the SWD for updates if there are none within a considerable time frame.
Here is a press release published by The Star (in July) regarding Jackie, less than 48 hours after we first contacted the SWD to enquire. There was no news regarding Jackie found available before our communication with the Sabah Wildlife Department. FOTO was not approached for our comments.