Orangutan Island Foundation
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| Orangutan Island at Bukit Merah Laketown |
Orangutan Island covers an area of approximately 35 acres of natural rainforest. Out of 35 acres 5 are developed for their exhibit area with enrichment material. Our population of orangutan 2 years back was 14 and our present populations of orangutan are 25 out which 15 infants were born at Orangutan Island.
The objectives of the Foundation also include the setting up of facilities and amenities for orangutan infant care, orangutan relocation programs, orangutan adoption, orangutan displacement support program, orangutan educational and research collaboration programs with universities, colleges, government agencies, non-government agencies, charitable organization and international organization and agencies.
At the Orangutan Island, a rehabilitation program is drawn up for the young orangutans. They learn various tasks necessary for survival such as nest building, tree climbing and using of ropes as substitute for veins and foraging for food in the wild. These young orangutans will be exposed to the natural environment and gradually introduced to the wild.
The tunnel concept is especially unique and it gives people a safe way to view the orangutan up close in their natural habitat while visitors are inside the cage tunnel. This allows the orangutan to be protected from visitors but still allows an "up-close and personal" view of the primates in their natural environment as they forage, eat and socialize.
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| Tunnel to view the orangutan in Stage 4 |
The Infant Care Unit (ICU) which was established in March 2004 to provide veterinary care and husbandry for the infant orangutans and which was recently through the efforts of the Foundation and contributions from supoortive organizations / agencies upgraded and improved. The infants are monitored 24 hours daily and are provided with a carefully formulated nutritional diet plan to ensure the well-being of the infants. The health of the infants is also constantly monitored by the veterinary staff.
The objectives for the ICU are:
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| A baby orangutan called Jidin at ICU |
To provide the veterinary care for infant orangutans in the event of separation from its mother due to improper maternal care
To create public awareness on the conservation of the endangered species of orangutan
To provide the public with an opportunity to view how the veterinary care is provided for the infant orangutan
To increase the population of orangutan through 'ex-situ' program in line with the national wildlife conservation of the endangered species, and
The ICU consists of four sections:-
Treatment room - It is equipped with the necessary equipment so that routine check-up, clinical diagnosis and treatment can be done by the veterinary staff to ensure the highest level of health for the orangutans
Recovery room - It is where necessary medication and monitoring is carried out by the resident veterinary doctor. It is also a place for the infants to rest. The infants are provided with baby cots for their comfort.
Isolation room - Infants that have medical complication are placed in this unit for observation and monitoring.
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| The Food Preparation room |
Feeding and Preparation Area - In this area, infant nutrition and other fruit juice is prepared.
Rehabilitation Program
Orangutan infants are separated from the mother due to various medical reasons such as : -
- Premature birth
- Low birth weight
- Umbilical cord infections
- Chronic diarrhoea
- Upper respiratory tract infection
- Other biological factors
Stage 1 : The Infant Care Unit
- Contact with human
- Maximum treatment
- Nurse care until completely recover
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| Feeding Time |
- To expose the infant orangutans to items found in their natural surroundings.
- Also helps the young to learn basic skill
- Consists of 5 units : -
Unit 1 - Climbing
Unit 2 - Water source
Unit 3 - ForagingUnit 4 - Nest Building
Unit 5 - Swinging
Stage 3 : The Introductory Controlled Release Unit
- Visual contact with the environment
- Visual contact with other adult orangutan
- Limited human contact
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| Playing at the platform |
- Juvenile shows development
- No human contact
- Large area with enrichment
- Wild behaviour starts to develop
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| Using a stick to get the food that is out of reach |
- The release of juvenille orangutan into the main exhibit with other social groups.
- The release of sub-adult Orangutan into an island
- Will be released into their place of birth
Educational Programs
The Orangutan Island provides educational and training program for school and universities. These are to create awareness among the student community. The students are taught basic orangutan biology and their conservation program.Training Program
Training is also provided to corporate bodies and other institution such as zoo and conservation centre etc.Research
The Orangutan Island also provides an excellent venue for research such as parasitology, physiology, infant nutrition, ecology and behavioural science. Most of the students that are doing research are undergraduates from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and also foreign universities. |
| Resource Centre |
Minor Research - for undergraduate student
Major Research - for master students and other researchers locally and aboard
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| Research Room |
Area of Research
a) Behavioural research
1. Studies concern with weight gain
- Food intake
- Food preference
- Eating pattern
- Physical activity and body weight as a function of age
- Evaluation of the standard / quality of orangutan facilities and husbandry
- Operationally defining variable that measures 'quality of life' for captive orangutans.
b) Veterinary - Medical Research
1) Parasitology
- External and internal parasite
- Prevention, control and treatment
- Beneficial and non-beneficial bacterial
- Control and prevention of non-beneficial bacterial
- Bacterial identification and culture
- Normal blood values
- Normal biochemistry values
4) Nutrition of infant and adult
- Clinical dietaries of infant and adult orangutan
- Nutrition for pregnant orangutan
- Low birth and premature management
- Gestation and menstrual cycle
6) Disease of infant and adult
- Disease management in infant and adult orangutan
Future Development Programme
1) Research / development centre
2) Extensions of the tunnel
3) Upgrading theatre
4) Upgrading of cages
