{"id":101188,"date":"2024-07-17T18:45:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-17T11:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ekuatorial.com\/?p=101188"},"modified":"2025-01-01T11:03:01","modified_gmt":"2025-01-01T04:03:01","slug":"orangutan-dies-in-residents-garden-back-wound-caused-by-sharp-object","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ekuatorial.com\/en\/2024\/07\/orangutan-dies-in-residents-garden-back-wound-caused-by-sharp-object\/","title":{"rendered":"Orangutan dies in resident’s garden, back wound caused by sharp object"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ONE individual mother orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) was found dead in a resident’s garden in Riam Berasap Jaya Village, Sukadana District, Kayong Utara Regency, West Kalimantan, Wednesday (10\/7\/2024), morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The endangered great ape species was found lying lifeless on a banana leaf stem with a wound on its back,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Head of the West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) RM Wiwied Widodo revealed that based on the results of the morphology of the carcass dissection (necropsy) carried out by the YIARI orangutan rehabilitation center veterinary team, a fairly deep wound was found on the left back with a depth of 7 cm and a length of 3 cm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team said that the wound was caused by a sharp object resembling a knife blade or spearhead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, said Wiwied, to confirm the truth, he was still waiting for the results of the necropsy carried out by the team of doctors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The wound suffered by the mother orangutan was due to a sharp object wound. But for more details, we will wait for the results of the necropsy. “The results will likely be out this week,” said Wiwied, Thursday (11\/7\/2024).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wiwied suspects that the death of the female orangutan was due to hunting or deliberate actions by humans that caused the killing of the protected animal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I am sure this is due to hunting. Because before the body of the mother orangutan was found, residents first found a baby orangutan in a tree not far from where the body of its mother was found. The baby orangutan looked restless,” explained Wiwied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I immediately ordered the field officers to sterilize the area. Because if a baby orangutan is found, then it is certain that there is something wrong with the mother. And it turned out to be true. The mother died,” he continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Wiwied, the female mother orangutan has a strong character to protect her child. The mother orangutan will not let go of her embrace unless she dies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to evacuating the body of the mother orangutan, a joint team consisting of the Ketapang Conservation Area Section (SKW) I_BKSDA West Kalimantan, Gunung Palung National Park and the Indonesian Nature Rehabilitation Initiative Foundation (YIARI), also managed to save the baby orangutan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Alhamdulillah, the baby orangutan was successfully evacuated,” said Wiwied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The plan was for the baby orangutan to be relocated immediately, but after a medical examination, it turned out that the baby orangutan was stressed and its physical condition was quite weak, so the risk of death was quite high if it was relocated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, continued Wiwied, there were scratches on the baby orangutan’s legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We have not been able to identify the scratches on the baby orangutan’s legs. Whether they were caused by sharp objects or not. For the time being, we are treating them at the rehabilitation center before releasing them,” he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Wiwied, in the last two months, the West Kalimantan BKSDA has managed to save three orangutan babies, both those handed over by the community and the results of the evacuation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This is the third time. Previously, we received a baby orangutan from a resident of Sungai Mata-Mata Village, Kayong Utara Regency,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often Appears in Residents’ Gardens<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riam Berasap Jaya Village, Sukadana District, is one of the villages in Kayong Utara Regency that is often visited by orangutans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two months before the discovery of the mother orangutan’s body in a resident’s garden, orangutans often appeared in the village. There were even several orangutans who settled and looked for food there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In May 2024, for example. One male orangutan appeared in a resident’s plantation. Precisely in Pematang Baros Hamlet, Riam Berasap Jaya Village. The animal with Pongo pygmaeus was seen chasing the patrol team to the edge of the national road connecting Kayong Utara and Ketapang Regencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, the male orangutan was successfully evacuated and relocated by a joint team from the Natural Resources Conservation Center, Conservation Section I, Ketapang, together with the Gunung Palung National Park Office, YIARI, and the Palung Foundation, in early July 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Head of Riam Berasap Jaya Village, Sukadana District, Bastarin, said that the presence of the animal had been seen for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the residents of Riam Berasap Jaya Village, the appearance of an orangutan is nothing strange. Given that the geographical location of the village borders the Gunung Palung National Park, which is the original habitat of the human-like primate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“For us, it is not strange. Because our area does border the National Park. In fact, almost every day, our village becomes a crossing point for orangutans,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bastarin said that the appearance of the orangutan had made the community restless. The orangutan often eats and damages residents’ crops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It just so happens that next to our village there is a resident’s garden. The orangutan often looks for food there. “Sometimes I eat coconut, cempedak, pineapple and other fruits,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Population of Bornean Orangutans<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quoted from orangutan.or.id, currently the population of Bornean orangutans is estimated at 57,350 individuals. Compare this with the estimated population in 1973 of 288,500, which means a decrease of 80% in less than 50 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sharp decline in the population of Bornean orangutans is caused by the loss of forest habitat. The increasing global needs also have an impact on the agriculture, mining, and logging industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without shelter, orangutans are now even more vulnerable, causing conflicts with humans that often end in the illegal killing of orangutans for mitigation, sometimes for consumption. And on many occasions, baby orangutans are captured for the exotic animal trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The orangutan population is spread across several habitats. One of them is in Gunung Palung National Park. This national park is believed to be home to 2,500 individual orangutans. (**)<\/p>\n\n\n