Updates on the Great Orangutan Project based at our rehab and releases centres in Borneo. Thanks to all the volunteers that help us save orangutans in Borneo. Visit www.thegreatprojects.com

Volunteer Visit GOP

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

American Zoo Group Visit Samboja



In May this year a specialist group of volunteers arrived for 8 days to help out in Samboja - Orangutan and Sunbear Rehabilitation Centre. We received a mix of orangutan zoo and maintenance staff from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in America. Keepers from zoos including Denver, Brookfield and Como arrived for the keeper exchange programme - designed to provide mutually beneficial working and educational relationships between international zoos.

After having met with all the partners at Samboja; BOS, Four Paws and REACT (who run the volunteer programme); it was full steam ahead working at Wanariset and Forest School to enrich and repair the cages. This was all done with money raised by the volunteer programme at Samboja and provided 660m of rope, 700m of tyre rope, 150 chunky D-locks, a very large generator and a welding machine. We were also lucky enough to have access to tools volunteered by Rigid that were brought over from America - a portable drill with bits and a grinder. On top of this we received a fantastic enrichment device made by Otto Environmental and hammocks provided by Aussie Dog.

After months of planning this event heralded true cooperation between many organisations for whom the conservation of orangutans is more than just a day job. The first zoo group trip in a number of years can count the enrichment of 40 orangutans (half a dozen of which were taken out of small cages) as just one of their successes. Of these 40, half a dozen orangutans were removed from small cages and placed in better and healthier environments thanks to the determination of hardwork of both the zoo group and the fantastic staff at Samboja.

Thanks to everyone who made this trip such a success and thanks to the volunteers for providing the funds that made it happen.

To find out more about out Orangutan and Sunbear Rehabiliation Centre click here

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