SSMS with BOS Foundation together Moves 12 Orangutans to Pre-Release Island

The BOS Foundation and PT Sawit Sumbermas Sarana Tbk., (SSMS) moved again 12 orangutans from the Orangutan Reintroduction Center in Nyaru Menteng to the pre-release island on Salat Island, Pulang Pisau Regency. The orangutan has completed its rehabilitation period at a forest school and will undergo a final phase of rehabilitation on pre-release islands before being released into natural forest. This is the eighth transfer to Salat Island where the use of Salat Island as an orangutan conservation area is itself the result of collaboration between the BOS Foundation and SSMS.
 

 
Nyaru Menteng, Central Kalimantan, 13 November 2019. The BOS Foundation together with PT Sawit Sumbermas Sarana Tbk., (SSMS), moved again 12 orangutans who had completed the training period at the Nyaru Menteng forest school to the pre-release island on Salat Island to continue the stage the end of rehabilitation before being released to the natural forest later.


Salat Nusa Island is a forest environment that resembles the orangutan's original habitat, with sufficient natural food sources in it. This island can provide full opportunities for rehabilitated orangutans to mature their skills to survive independently in the forest. Besides being safe, the orangutans can also be monitored fully while on this island. The pre-release period itself lasts for one to two years before orangutans can finally be released into their natural habitat. The total number of orangutans on Salat Island is 27 individuals and will become 39 individuals along with this transfer. In addition, the total number of orangutans that have been released into their natural habitat from Salat Island is 14 orangutans and will increase by 6 more by the end of this year.

 
The BOS Foundation with SSMS together to responsible for managing the island located in the Kahayan River delta. The forest in Salat Island has an area of ??more than 2,000 hectares, with 655 hectares cultivated by the BOS Foundation, and more than 1,000 hectares cultivated by SSMS. Based on the survey, this area is considered to have quality forests, is isolated by river water throughout the year, is not identified as having wild orangutan populations and has sufficient food availability for orangutans. This forest is also considered large enough to accommodate up to 200 orangutans and supports their ability to adapt and socialize.


Dr. Ir. Jamartin Sihite, CEO of the BOS Foundation, explained, "Since 2012, in Central Kalimantan we have managed to release 318 orangutans into natural forests. This means we release an average of 40 orangutans each year. At present, we are still rehabilitating around 342 orangutans in Nyaru Menteng, even though the existing complex ideally can only accommodate 300 orangutans. This condition made us have to move quickly to ensure that all orangutans who had graduated from forest school entered the pre-release island. The greater the capacity of the island, the more orangutans we can move to pre-release islands, and this means more and more orangutans will be released into the forest. This is the eighth transfer to Salat Island, and we will continue to use the island for orangutan conservation activities and their habitat. "


The cooperation in the utilization of Salat Island is a breakthrough involving local governments, communities, and businesses. The BOS Foundation believes that this form of collaboration will produce maximum results for the conservation of orangutans and their habitat. "

 
This form of cooperation between stakeholders in the form of providing orangutan habitat land by the private sector has received great support from the local government. Some time ago the Governor of Central Kalimantan, H. Sugianto Sabran has expressed his support and plans to develop this area into an area of ??essential ecosystems and a buffer zone for the lives of the surrounding areas in a sustainable manner.

 
Utilization of Salat Island as a pre-release habitat for rehabilitated orangutans is the result of joint work between stakeholders, including the Central Kalimantan Provincial Government, Pulang Pisau Village Government, Central Kalimantan Natural Resource Conservation Center (BKSDA), communities in Jabiren Raya District and the BOSF. The BOS Foundation is grateful for the SSMS support, And global partners who have helped fund this very important initiative.
 

 
Vallauthan Subraminam, President Director of PT. Sawit Sumbermas Sarana Tbk., Added, "Our company strongly upholds the principles of sustainable environmental management and that makes us decide to collaborate with dedicated conservation organizations such as the BOS Foundation, in order to realize our commitment to environmental preservation efforts and improve community economy in Central Kalimantan.


As I mentioned before, we will make this Salat Island as a sanctuary for orangutans and areas that support the orangutan rehabilitation process, both orangutans who are ready to go wild into the forest, and orangutans that cannot be released. We are very proud to see that this project has received considerable attention and hopefully can be used as an example or benchmark between business partnerships with conservation elsewhere. The Salat Island Project confirms that sustainable business can go hand in hand with conservation efforts. "

 
This form of cooperation between stakeholders in the provision of orangutan habitat land by the private sector has received great support from the local government. Some time ago, the Governor of Central Kalimantan, H. Sugianto Sabran expressed his support and plans to develop this area into an area of ??essential ecosystems that have high biodiversity values ??outside conservation areas that are ecologically, socially and culturally important for biodiversity conservation goals.

 
Utilization of Salat Island as a pre-release habitat for orangutans is the result of joint work with the BOS Foundation and stakeholders, including the Central Kalimantan Provincial Government, Pulang Pisau Regency Government, Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA), communities in Jabiren Raya District. The BOS Foundation is also grateful for the support of PT. Sawit Sumbermas Sarana Tbk., and global partners who have helped and supported this important initiative.