Antara News·Indonesia·Sunday, October 25, 2026 at 08:29 AM UTC

Mother orangutan and her infant rescued in Central Kalimantan

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M.Arif Hidayat, Rahmad Nasution

Sampit, C Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency rescued a mother orangutan and her roughly 10-month-old infant in Kandan Village, Kota Besi Subdistrict, Kotawaringin Timur District, early Friday.

“We named the mother Gadis; she is estimated to be 25 years old. Her male infant, about 10 months old, is named Garis,” said Muriansyah, commander of the BKSDA post in Sampit, on Saturday.

The rescue followed a report of two orangutans in Kandan Village on Thursday afternoon, October 22. Sampit environmental activist Awil reported the sighting at 4:49 p.m. local time.

In response, officers at the BKSDA post in Sampit contacted a local resident, Karyadi, to confirm the animals’ presence and learn about their movements.

Residents said the orangutans were the same animals officers had searched for on Monday, October 12. Officers visited the area that day but failed to find them.

Officers then asked residents and environmental activists to continue monitoring the animals and passed the information to the agency’s Regional Conservation Section II office in Pangkalan Bun.

“We promptly reported the information to our superiors in Pangkalan Bun so they could arrange the rescue,” Muriansyah said.

At about 7 p.m., a Wildlife Rescue Unit (WRU) team from Regional Conservation Section II and the Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) headed to Sampit, Kotawaringin Timur District.

The team arrived at about 1 a.m. on Friday, October 23, and immediately began the rescue operation in Kandan Village.

Officers secured the mother and infant and conducted initial health checks, looking for injuries or other problems potentially caused by snares or hazards nearby.

“Officers found cords wrapped around the mother’s left and right wrists. They cut the cords to free her,” Muriansyah said.

Muriansyah said the mother had serious wounds where the cords had tightened around both wrists. Officers strongly suspected the cords were snares commonly used to catch wild pigs.

A veterinarian treated Gadis’s wounds. The examination and treatment were important to assess the mother’s condition after she was freed from the cords.

After the rescue and initial checks, the team left for Pangkalan Bun at about 3 a.m. on Friday.

Muriansyah thanked residents for promptly reporting protected wildlife, saying their cooperation allowed officers to respond appropriately without endangering the animals or the public.

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