0:00:02 > 0:00:04'Last time on Orangutan Diary,
0:00:04 > 0:00:07'an orphan was rescued in a tense stand-off.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14'Ellie and Grendon were doing well at their forest school,
0:00:14 > 0:00:16'learning to be wild orangutans.
0:00:17 > 0:00:22'Meanwhile, little Lomon took his first tentative steps up a tree.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27'The most memorable moment was when big male Zorro
0:00:27 > 0:00:32'was released onto an island, after 13 miserable years behind bars.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53'The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation
0:00:53 > 0:00:57'looks after rescued and confiscated orangutans.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00'With over 450 animals to look after,
0:01:00 > 0:01:04'Lone Droscher-Nielsen and her team are always busy.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08'They work around the clock to care for and educate the orangutans.
0:01:10 > 0:01:15'The aim is to return as many animals as possible back to the wild.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19'Most are victims of the palm oil industry.
0:01:19 > 0:01:24'With rainforest being destroyed to make way for plantations,
0:01:24 > 0:01:28'the orangutans are left with nowhere to go.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30'In the last decade,
0:01:30 > 0:01:34'over five million hectares of orangutan habitat
0:01:34 > 0:01:37'have been wiped out by the palm oil industry alone.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43'Today, Steve has come to rescue yet another victim.'
0:01:45 > 0:01:50Well, these people have managed to capture this orangutan,
0:01:50 > 0:01:53which is quite a feat in itself.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57Unfortunately, the only thing they could keep it in
0:01:57 > 0:01:58is this concrete drain.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02As you can see, it's not in the best condition now.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07Very, very weak. Quite distressed. A little bit cut up.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09Trying to escape every five minutes.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14This is a common site to find them.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18They were in the middle of this huge palm oil plantation.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21These orangutans wander in from the forest,
0:02:21 > 0:02:23and are easy to spot,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26walking around when there's no real cover at all.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Obviously, with it being a wild animal,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41it's not going to be used to being handled,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45so sedation is absolutely essential.
0:02:46 > 0:02:51Alex is one of the vets from the centre and he will do that.
0:03:00 > 0:03:01There we go.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06All right, little one. There we go.
0:03:06 > 0:03:11It's looking pretty dried up and quite dehydrated as well.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Those eyes are all gummed up with dust and dirt.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21It will take a bit of time for that sedative to take effect.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24You have to be careful with an animal that's distressed
0:03:24 > 0:03:27and dehydrated and possibly injured.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32It's always a concern using anaesthetics.
0:03:32 > 0:03:37So it's a bit of a critical period. Just to keep a close eye on him.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45'Every morning, the Forest School 1 orangutans
0:03:45 > 0:03:47'head out into the forest.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50'There's always an excited, happy mood
0:03:50 > 0:03:54'and I can't wait to see how my favourite pupil has progressed.'
0:03:56 > 0:04:01At Forest School 1, there has been a remarkable transformation recently.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04One individual has shot to the top of the class,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07and it is Lomon, who's behind me.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09He has changed so much.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13Not only is he seriously starting to grow hair,
0:04:13 > 0:04:17so he doesn't look so bald, but his character has changed.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19His eyes are so much brighter.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23He doesn't sit around any more, like a weary old man.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27The best thing of all is that he has started to climb.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31In fact, Lomon is doing so well.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35He's a bit older than all the other orphans in this group.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37He's beginning to tire of them,
0:04:37 > 0:04:42so he's going to be moved up to join some slightly older orphans.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45He'll still be the eldest by a long way.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57He's starting to get a bit more relaxed now.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59He's started to nod his head.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01His eyes are drooping a bit.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Remember, these guys are extremely strong.
0:05:10 > 0:05:15An adult male orangutan would be seven times stronger than a human.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20Even though we are trying to help it, it can't tell, obviously.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Yeah, so be warned.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Steady, steady, petal.
0:05:39 > 0:05:44Obviously, we can't even get in to assess its anaesthetic depth,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46but it looks fairly out of it now.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51'It's hard to know how long the anaesthetic will last.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55'It is important to get the orangutan out quickly.'
0:05:55 > 0:05:58LOCAL LANGUAGE
0:06:07 > 0:06:09She's just got some...
0:06:18 > 0:06:21'With her out of that concrete pipe,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24'the next step is to assess any injuries.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Yeah, it feels more like a... Yeah.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36There's a subluxation. It's a dislocation.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38It's out of joint.
0:06:38 > 0:06:39Yes, a dislocation.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45We should get her back to the centre as soon as possible.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18Oh, dear. He's going to be a pretty confused ape when he wakes up.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30'We're heading back to the centre.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34'We witness the problem that our rescued orangutan faced,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38'the deforestation of Borneo's rainforests.'
0:07:50 > 0:07:52It's the speed and the scale that I...
0:07:52 > 0:07:56It just... It just beggars belief.
0:07:56 > 0:08:01I foolishly thought it was all done with chainsaws,
0:08:01 > 0:08:03and that it takes time.
0:08:03 > 0:08:08The speed these machines rip through. They're homes there.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Not only for orangutans.
0:08:11 > 0:08:16I can't think of the number of creatures that are buried in here.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22They've just absolutely flattened everything.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26This is the price of palm oil.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31But it doesn't have to be.
0:08:32 > 0:08:37There are palm oil companies out there not doing this.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39We've got to get our heads round this.
0:08:39 > 0:08:45There are ways around this. We don't need to do this.
0:08:45 > 0:08:46Look at what's left.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Unbelievable. Unbelievable.
0:09:08 > 0:09:13'Lomon is moving up to one of the senior classes in Forest School 1.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15'It's a great progression.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20'He and his new classmates still face another five years of schooling.'
0:09:20 > 0:09:23This is your new class, Lomon.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27They look quite mischievous, some of them!
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Oh, hello!
0:09:48 > 0:09:50Well, just look at that!
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Lomon is building a nest!
0:09:53 > 0:09:56It's on the ground and it should be up a tree,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58but that's a good start.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01That's how a wild orangutan would build a nest.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06It would pull the branches in from the side and fold them over.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10He is finding his branches that are too big,
0:10:10 > 0:10:12and he's gnawing a bit off to use.
0:10:12 > 0:10:18What I find incredible is that a lot of that must be instinct.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20They also learn off each other.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23That's why it's fantastic that these orphans
0:10:23 > 0:10:26can be put together in a big group like this.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30Although they live solitary lives in the wild,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32they can be very sociable animals.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36They're solitary in the wild because of food dispersal.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Lomon is interacting so much with the other orphans.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45He's so different to before.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49It was a good move to move him into this group.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51The orphans are more his size,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54and they're a lot more active, as you can see.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57They all seem to be climbing all the time.
0:10:57 > 0:11:02I'm sure that encourages him to climb more.
0:11:25 > 0:11:30Well, look at that! Lomon at the top of a tree!
0:11:30 > 0:11:33I did think that I might never see that.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37Not only is he climbing, but climbing so confidently.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40Lomon really has been incredible.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44One day he wasn't climbing, and the next minute he was up a tree.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48It's almost as if he really took his time to eat and eat
0:11:48 > 0:11:51and then he thought,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54"OK, I'll do what an orangutan does,"
0:11:54 > 0:11:55which is climb a tree.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21'Our rescued orangutan is recovering in her new accommodation,
0:12:21 > 0:12:26'so I'm taking the chance to check up on another recent arrival.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32'Yesterday, baby Amber was confiscated
0:12:32 > 0:12:37'after some tricky negotiations between Lone and Amber's captor.'
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Oh! Hello, Amber.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Hello.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51What? What? Come on, then.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53ORANGUTAN SQUEALS
0:12:53 > 0:12:56Come on. Come on.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01You're a bit frightened.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07Beautiful eyes. That's better, isn't it?
0:13:08 > 0:13:11You're just another statistic.
0:13:11 > 0:13:18One more tiny orphan that's had an absolutely crappy start to life.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23To think what she must have witnessed,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26with her mother being killed in front of her,
0:13:26 > 0:13:30and then being taken into what was quite inappropriate care.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36If Amber had come in with her mum,
0:13:36 > 0:13:40we'd only have to find a suitable release site for them
0:13:40 > 0:13:42and get them back out into the wild.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45Because her mum was killed,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48she's committed to at least six years
0:13:48 > 0:13:54being educated on how to be a wild orangutan again.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03'In Forest School 1, play time is over.
0:14:03 > 0:14:08'Now it's back to work for Lomon and his new classmates.'
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Time for an important lesson.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14There aren't predators on the forest floor in Borneo,
0:14:14 > 0:14:16but they do have snakes.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20We have to teach them to be afraid when they see a snake.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22I'm not going to bring a real snake out here,
0:14:22 > 0:14:27but I have got, under my T-shirt, a realistic-looking rubber snake.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Hopefully, none of them are looking.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33I'm going to plant it on the floor here,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36wait for one of them to see it,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39and then I'll react in a slightly hysterical way
0:14:39 > 0:14:42and see if I can frighten them.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51Obviously, there's no point pointing the snake out.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54I have to wait for one of the orphans to find the snake.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59That's when I've got to react and make them scared of it.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16Oops! Hey, look at that! That is a great reaction.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19That one's seen it, and then we are going to start going...
0:15:19 > 0:15:23Leave! No, no, no! Bad snake! Bad snake! Bad snake.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Oh! Bad snake! Bad snake!
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Run! Run! Run!
0:15:29 > 0:15:34Run! Run! Run! No, no, no!
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Naughty snake! Gone!
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Oh, sweet! Sweet!
0:15:41 > 0:15:46Did you see the way they were clinging on to each other?
0:15:46 > 0:15:48I think they got the general idea.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52They weren't as frightened as I was hoping they'd be.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55If I saw a snake, I wouldn't kill it,
0:15:55 > 0:15:59but it is an important lesson for the orangutans to learn.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08'Lomon isn't the only orangutan starting a new class today.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12'Ellie and Grendon are also up for assessment,
0:16:12 > 0:16:16'but which one of them has made the grade?'
0:16:16 > 0:16:21It turns out that you were very quiet to start off with.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24As she's got more settled in, she's more mischievous.
0:16:24 > 0:16:31She's been a bit too boisterous with the smaller ones in this group.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35We are going to find you a new group a bit more your size
0:16:35 > 0:16:36for you to play with.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40We thought Grendon would be the feisty one.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44He's been held back because he's a little bit slow.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Time to go.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55Time to go. Oh, like a dead weight. I want to stay here.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Come on, petal... Yes!
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Well, yet another adventure!
0:17:03 > 0:17:06"Oops," she says. "Don't drop me."
0:17:08 > 0:17:11'It's great to see Ellie move up a group.
0:17:11 > 0:17:16'At first, she was so nervous she couldn't eat or drink.
0:17:16 > 0:17:22'Thanks to the team of baby-sitters, her progress has been remarkable.'
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Right, El. Let's have a look.
0:17:24 > 0:17:29Look at all these new folk to play with. These are your size.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Ah, there we go.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37Look, she's gone straight for the baby-sitter.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40She'll settle in there quickly.
0:17:40 > 0:17:41This is much better,
0:17:41 > 0:17:47because most of these guys are much more similar in age and size to her.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49She'll settle in here well.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09'With Ellie settling in with her new school mates,
0:18:09 > 0:18:14'I'm keen to see how Grendon's coping without his best buddy.'
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Grendon's making himself a nice nest.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22It's not very high, but it's at least a nest!
0:18:27 > 0:18:32It's quite an ingenious design because all they do is find a crook in a branch,
0:18:32 > 0:18:34or some overlying branches,
0:18:34 > 0:18:40and then just keep folding leaves and branches down in.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45You need some more branches.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Here. That's it.
0:18:50 > 0:18:55Keep pulling them in. Weaving them down. I'll give you a hand.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59Give you some more. There you go.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01It looks comfortable.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07He sort of presses it down with his feet.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13This one looks like it is going to fall over,
0:19:13 > 0:19:15and tip him onto the floor!
0:19:17 > 0:19:19It's getting lower, Grendon.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22HE LAUGHS
0:19:23 > 0:19:28Imagine this, though, 60 feet up.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31I wouldn't want to sleep in it.
0:19:31 > 0:19:38What happened? It was all looking so good.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40That's not going to help, mate.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45You should consider another profession.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52I think the frustration is starting to show!
0:19:54 > 0:19:57"This is rubbish!"
0:20:13 > 0:20:17Today is an exciting day for one of our orangutans.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20Sheba, the one I picked up from the airport.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24We've been waiting a while for her test results.
0:20:24 > 0:20:25She's TB-free,
0:20:25 > 0:20:30which means she can come out of the cage and go into the forest.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35She's going to be let out with two other orangutans
0:20:35 > 0:20:36that have been in cages.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44Hey, Sheba!
0:20:49 > 0:20:50Wrong way, Sheba!
0:20:58 > 0:21:04It must be so fantastic for them to get out from these barred cages,
0:21:04 > 0:21:08and go out into the forest and start climbing trees.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11It will be interesting to see how they react.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13LOCAL LANGUAGE
0:21:21 > 0:21:22Hello!
0:21:28 > 0:21:32Lone, how do you reckon they will react once we stop?
0:21:32 > 0:21:35If I have to be honest, I don't know.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37I guess they're all different.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Sheba has a nice personality,
0:21:40 > 0:21:43but she can easily get excitable.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Is it usual for them to go straight up a tree?
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Some do. They see a tree and go straight off.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Others just sit and look at them.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00LOCAL LANGUAGE
0:22:01 > 0:22:05Look at Sheba go! That is amazing!
0:22:07 > 0:22:12She's gone straight up that tree. How would she know how to climb?
0:22:12 > 0:22:15It's just instinct.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18We don't know if she's been in captivity her whole life.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21We just know it's been some time.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23It's very difficult. If we...
0:22:23 > 0:22:28Most animals we get in have been in captivity since they were one.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31If they are older, they are difficult to tame.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37When we were at the airport, she came out of that box very calm.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39With her teddy bear.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42It must be great for you
0:22:42 > 0:22:47to get them out of the cages, and into the forest to start rehabilitation.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51It's always... Getting them out of there, it's just always a...
0:22:51 > 0:22:54Well, it's just a happy day.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05'I've come to a quarantine to check on the female
0:23:05 > 0:23:09'with the dislocated ankle that was rescued this morning.'
0:23:10 > 0:23:12Hello. Hello, little one.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18She just looks so much better already.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22Just cleaned up, she looks 100% better.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26As you can see, she is actually using that right foot quite well,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30so it's not holding her back.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33This is a really simple process.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36If wild orangutans are fit, healthy,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39and pass the quarantine tests,
0:23:39 > 0:23:43then there is no reason why she can't be in the trees,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46living out her life as she should be.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49'The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation
0:23:49 > 0:23:53'is hoping to secure over 300,000 hectares of primary rainforest,
0:23:53 > 0:23:57'where these orangutans can be released.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01'Until the Indonesian authorities give the go-ahead,
0:24:01 > 0:24:03'the rescued orangutans must stay here.'
0:24:03 > 0:24:06This might be a simple process,
0:24:06 > 0:24:10but it is a huge problem, and it's getting bigger and bigger.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14These are more quarantine cages having to be built
0:24:14 > 0:24:18because more wild orangutans are being brought here.
0:24:18 > 0:24:23'These orangutans aren't the only ones waiting for a wild release site.'
0:24:28 > 0:24:32'There are also those who have graduated to living on the islands.
0:24:32 > 0:24:38'This is the last stage of schooling before they are released back into the wild.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42'We're keen to see how one of the latest arrivals is getting on.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45'I brought over Zorro yesterday.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49'Unlike most of the others,
0:24:49 > 0:24:51'Zorro was a fully grown adult
0:24:51 > 0:24:55'when he was confiscated from the illegal pet trade.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58'All he has ever known is the inside of a cage,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01'so we are not sure how he'll respond
0:25:01 > 0:25:03'to his first taste of freedom.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10'As we approach the island,
0:25:10 > 0:25:14'we are met by a massive male orangutan, Hercules.'
0:25:14 > 0:25:17Look at the size of him! What a fantastic male!
0:25:18 > 0:25:22He is coming closer. I'm going to get into the boat.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25'With Hercules patrolling the beach,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28'it's too dangerous for us to go any further.'
0:25:28 > 0:25:30He is enormous!
0:25:35 > 0:25:39The good thing is he hates getting all that hair wet.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46I'm being a bit light-hearted,
0:25:46 > 0:25:49but we really do have to remember he is a very strong lad.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53He's a third heavier than I am,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56and he can still lift all his body weight on one arm.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59That's pretty strong.
0:26:02 > 0:26:07It looks like he's had enough of us. He's going to sit in the shade.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10I think he's satisfied his curiosity.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13It's going to be difficult to find Zorro,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16if we are worried about Hercules.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19They will leave the technicians with him.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24If he starts coming back this way, they'll give us a whistle.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28'Hercules is used to the technicians,
0:26:28 > 0:26:32'so he should be fairly relaxed in their presence.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36'While they keep him distracted, we can check up on Zorro.'
0:26:44 > 0:26:50I wonder how far he's gone? Oh, look. There he is.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Oh, that's fantastic!
0:26:52 > 0:26:55- Oh, my God! - Look how high he is, Steve.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58I didn't think he'd be this quick.
0:26:58 > 0:27:03I thought he'd be sat on that platform for days, and...confused.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06This is just incredible!
0:27:06 > 0:27:08The last time I saw him,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11he was in his cage just going round in circles,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14so to see what he should be doing,
0:27:14 > 0:27:18which is climbing a tree, is astonishing.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20That's just great.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24The technicians said that he's slept in the trees.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26He's not come down.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28It's as if he's saying,
0:27:28 > 0:27:33"You're not getting me in the cage. I'm staying up here, basically."
0:27:33 > 0:27:36He just looks like he belongs there.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39He just looks like he's just taken to it.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42It's like he's always been up there.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45I'd so love to be standing here in a few years' time,
0:27:45 > 0:27:49looking up a tree like that and see Lomon.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57'Thanks to Lone and the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation,
0:27:57 > 0:28:03'hundreds of orangutans like Zorro, Grendon and Lomon
0:28:03 > 0:28:06'are given a second chance.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09'But the situation is at a critical level,
0:28:09 > 0:28:14'with increasing numbers of orangutans arriving on an almost daily basis,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18'the centre is being pushed to the limit.
0:28:19 > 0:28:24'If the relentless destruction of Borneo's rainforest continues,
0:28:24 > 0:28:29'wild orangutans will be extinct in ten years.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32'And we simply can't let that happen.'