Balikpapan. In commemoration of Earth Day, the Forestry Ministry, in collaboration with the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS Foundation) and several other partners, is releasing five rehabilitated orangutans and returning one individual from Samboja Lestari to the Kehje Sewen Forest, located in Kutai Timur and Kutai Kartanegara Regencies, East Kalimantan.

Since 2015, the southern part of Kehje Sewen Forest has been a release site for orangutans. This year, it once again becomes a new home for five orangutans who have undergone rehabilitation and one orangutan who is being returned after receiving intensive care at Samboja Lestari. To reach the release location, the team used various modes of transport: four-wheel-drive vehicles, boats, and porters who carried the transport cages containing the orangutans deep into the forest. The journey took around 20 hours, heavily dependent on field conditions, including landslide-prone areas that could cause delays.

Of the six orangutans released, there are three males and three females. One of the males is Uli, now 28 years old. Uli was first found in 2021 after entering a residential area near the forest. He was rescued by the wildlife rescue team of the East Kalimantan BKSDA, SKW III Balikpapan, in collaboration with the BOS Foundation at Samboja Lestari. After undergoing rehabilitation, Uli is now healthy, weighing 80 kg, and ready to return to his natural habitat.

Meanwhile, Mikhayla, a ten-year-old female orangutan and the youngest in the group, was rescued near the Sangatta–Bengalon highway, within a mining concession owned by PT Kaltim Prima Coal. When she was found on January 12, 2025, her condition was alarming—she was severely malnourished and showed signs of prolonged stress. Her discovery site, very close to the main road connecting Bengalon and Muara Wahau, posed a significant safety threat. The rescue operation was a collaborative effort between the East Kalimantan BKSDA, BOS Foundation, Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP), and Conservation Action Network (CAN). Upon arrival at Samboja Lestari, Mikhayla received intensive medical care, including nutritional supplements and deworming treatment. After three months of rehabilitation, she has significantly improved and is now ready to begin a new chapter in the Kehje Sewen Forest.

Another female orangutan, Mori, was also returned to Kehje Sewen Forest. Mori had previously been released in 2019 but had to be brought back to Samboja Lestari in 2020 for intensive treatment. Now fully recovered and deemed ready, Mori is finally able to return to her home in the forest.

Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said the orangutan release at BOSF Samboja Lestari is not merely ceremonial but a concrete manifestation of our collective commitment to preserving Indonesia’s natural heritage, particularly the critically important and extraordinary species, the Bornean orangutan.

“Today, six rehabilitated orangutans from the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Rescue Center, managed by the BOS Foundation, have been released into Kehje Sewen Forest. The Ministry of Forestry is committed to strengthening science-based conservation policies, ecosystem-based approaches, and community participation. Through programs such as ecosystem restoration, protected area reinforcement, wildlife rehabilitation, and habitat recovery, we aim to secure a sustainable future for both people and nature,” he said.

He also emphasized the importance of collaboration, like what was seen today. Species conservation cannot be achieved by the government alone, it requires the support and participation of all stakeholders to accelerate the achievement of conservation goals for biodiversity and ecosystems.

“Public participation plays a crucial and strategic role in conservation efforts. Likewise, the involvement of the private sector is vital in preserving species. Conservation is not only about saving species but also about strengthening the relationship between humans and nature, preserving our heritage for future generations, and ensuring our forests remain intact for generations to come,” he added.

Meanwhile, BOSF Chairman Jamartin Sihite added that the orangutan release on Earth Day serves as a strong reminder that efforts in wildlife rehabilitation and protection, especially for orangutans teetering on the brink of extinction, are a shared responsibility.

“Despite ongoing releases, the challenges we face remain immense. More than 350 orangutans are currently still awaiting their future in BOSF rehabilitation centers,” he said.

Therefore, orangutan protection must continue with the spirit of building a just and sustainable Earth for all living beings. Close collaboration between government, communities, businesses, and conservation organizations such as the BOS Foundation is key to ensuring forests remain a safe home for orangutans and all life that depends on them.

In line with the event, the President Director of PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper, the operating arm of APRIL Group, expressed his honor at being included in the initiative.

“It is an honor for us to take part in today’s release of six orangutans as a real contribution to support wildlife conservation in Indonesia,” he said.

Through the partnership between APRIL and PT RHOI, and aligned with APRIL’s sustainability commitment under APRIL2030, the company actively supports the protection of endangered and protected wildlife such as the Bornean orangutan, and works to preserve their natural habitat.

The Ministry of Forestry and the BOS Foundation expressed their gratitude to the East Kalimantan Provincial Government, the Regional Governments of Kutai Timur and Kutai Kartanegara, and the communities in these regions for their support and cooperation.

The BOS Foundation also extended its deepest appreciation to all partners, including BOS Australia, BOS Germany, BOS New Zealand, BOS Switzerland, BOS UK, BOS USA, BOS France, and Save the Orangutan, as well as global supporters like Orangutan Outreach who have significantly contributed to the conservation efforts. Their continued support plays a vital role in the success of our orangutan conservation mission in Indonesia.

The Forestry Ministry also expressed sincere gratitude for the contributions from business entities such as PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (PT RAPP) - APRIL Group, PT Bank Central Asia Tbk, and individual donors from around the world whose generosity has helped sustain our efforts to protect and conserve orangutans and their habitats.