THE SILENT Type Fiona Rogers
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IssUe 41 AUTUMN 2013 doyok, an ex-captive male Bornean orangutan, now resident in Tanjung puting National park, Central Kalimantan THe sILeNT Type Fiona Rogers WHy AReN’T orangutans As vocal reticence is probably the ape’s Ape-language studies in the US have talkative As ALL otheR Apes? unusual social structure. While each shown them (and other apes) to be adult orangutan is probably aware of his capable of using several hundred Primates are social animals, and social or her neighbours’ whereabouts, they words in American Sign Language and animals communicate with a wide seldom meet, and they choose to spend understanding more in spoken English. range of vocalisations. Why then are most of their time alone. So there’s no Even untrained orangutans, using orangutans so silent? need to say much. gestures and body language, speak The African apes, ourselves included, Males use their spectacular volumes. use a wide variety of sounds. Gorillas, long-calls to announce their presence, A recent study of orangutans in zoos chimpanzees and bonobos use dozens and any orangutan wanting to be left has revealed that they use 40 different of context-specific vocalisations – hoots, alone uses the ‘kiss-squeak’ to say ‘get intentional gestures to mean certain squeaks, rumbles, roars, whimpers and lost’ or express annoyance. But their things, such as a begging hand to ask grunts – some intended for short-distance vocal repertoire is limited. for food, nudging and shooing away a communication and some that carry Most of their long childhood is spent cage-mate or rolling over to invite play. for miles through the forest. Like us, without playmates of the same age. An And in the sanctuaries in Borneo and they laugh when tickled and show their infant clambers around on mother for Sumatra, where orangutan orphans are excitement during games of chase or play- the first few years, and she might play kept together in large groups, there fighting, with hoarse breathy vocalisations a little, but apart from an occasional are many more opportunities for social that show they are having a good time encounter with another mother, for interaction, which raises an interesting (play-chuckles is the technical term). example at a heavily laden fruit tree, question. We are all a product of both When I first visited Tanjung Puting young orangutans simply don’t have our genes and our upbringing. Sadly, National Park in Borneo and was the opportunity to play with friends of more and more orangutans are being accosted from above by a playful the same age. When two mothers meet, orphaned, rescued and brought up by orphan orangutan, I was struck by how they seem largely to ignore each other, communicative humans in large social silent his play was – and by his playfully and if their youngsters do play a while, groups before release back into the flailing hands and feet. But when I it won’t be long before a halt is called wild to form new populations. Will they joined in and politely chuckled with when their satiated mothers move off then revert to their solitary ways or an open-mouthed play-face to show on their separate treetop pathways. will studies of their social life in future enjoyment, there was no answer. This is not to say orangutans reveal a new culture of more sociable The reason for the orangutan’s are not capable of communicating. orangutans? IAN RedMONd WWW.ORANGUTAN.ORG.UK 1 Red Ape AUTUMN 2013_RKC6.indd 1 01/11/2013 18:13 All pictures Yayorin All pictures A peRsONAL Message It’s the season when we reflect on the past year and what the next year will bring. Here at the Foundation the year goes by quickly – we already are putting dates in the diary for October and November 2014. This brings me to Methane from cow waste transforms into light the question, why do people join for the house or farm the Foundation? Obviously they want to save orangutans and their forest homes. So are we fulfilling our obligation to them and our supporters? If I didn’t believe in doing what we set out to do 23 years ago, I wouldn’t be sending this message now. We have achieved that and more. This year alone we have rescued or translocated ten orangutans. All now are living safely in the protected Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve. And the exciting news in this issue of Red Ape is that we have had six births in Lamandau. But with the best will in the world, the return of orangutans to the forest is not what will save the wild population. We staff six guard posts in Tanjung Puting National Park and four in Lamandau, because habitat protection is our number- one priority. You cannot protect The official opening of orangutans without protecting the demonstration plant the places where they live. The Left: the gas producer preservation of tropical forests also has long-term benefits for the whole planet. It is people whose actions threaten the future survival of orangutans, which also means it is people who are the solution. COW Local people are the best protectors and champions of the forest, which is why we also support our Indonesian partner’s work, helping local people to GAs make a sustainable living from the forest and to understand livestock manure and uses the left-over their wild neighbours and their eNeRGy fOR THe fUTURe. slurry as high-nitrogen fertilizer. It is role in it. This issue of Red Ape true green technology – producing highlights how multi-faceted Yayorin is pioneering a ground-breaking renewable energy while putting to good our work is. With your help and initiative that can provide renewable use a gas that is a huge contributor to support, I am confident we will energy within the household budget of the greenhouse effect. It also reduces continue to make a difference for an average local family. One installation the need to collect firewood from orangutans, forests and people. with two cows supports four appliances, the forest or use fossil fuels. Easy for Thank you and best wishes for for lighting or cooking. a community to adopt, such biogas the festive season. At Yayorin’s Kampung Konservasi, local people can now see a production is another example of a Ashley Leiman demonstration of large-scale biogas cheap, sustainable practice that will production. This extracts methane from take pressure off the environment. 2 WWW.ORANGUTAN.ORG.UK Red Ape AUTUMN 2013_RKC6.indd 2 01/11/2013 18:13 Wawan Adela, just after her release into Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve ResCUING LeARNING to Be fRee AdeLA The Foundation now operates Wawan AnotheR yOUNGsTeR BeING KepT Ivan, just beginning to six orangutan release camps learn how to be a wild ILLeGALLy, now ReLeAsed in the Lamandau River Wildlife orangutan. His friend yuli is back into THe WILd. Reserve Reserve. Recent showing him what to do releases include Jupe, who In late September, a team was called remains in the forest and is still in to rescue an orangutan seen in a seen around Camp JL. back yard in Sukamara, west of the At Camp Siswoyo, Lisna Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve. A can be observed almost every farmer had found the young female, day in the trees but still returns probably only five years old, and had to his cage in the afternoon. kept her in a mango tree with a chain Ralph was followed every day round her neck. The land around his in September as he moved from farm was being burnt for slash-and- nest to nest. At Camp Rasak, burn farming, and so the farmer called Edo and her infant Emelda are in the BKSDA (the Bureau for the being closely tracked. Conservation of Natural Resources in The ability of newcomers Central Kalimantan) and the Orangutan such as Melan (see page 6) to Foundation to rescue her. build nests and find food are It is thought Adela, as she is now also monitored. known, had been kept chained for Rocky began his release two months. She seemed weak, partly process in mid-September and because of the smoke, but when the is improving his tree-climbing, Foundation’s vet checked her over, foraging and nest-building skills. she was in good health. Though she Ivan and Yuli have only would normally have still been with her recently been released. Yuli mother, she was on her way to being is skilled at making nests and independent, and so the decision was finding leaves to eat. Ivan is less taken to release her into Lamandau. competent, but as he follows She is being followed, and the latest Yuli closely, he will probably reports are that she is finding food and pick up the skills. making nests. ISSUe 41 AUTUMN 2013 3 Red Ape AUTUMN 2013_RKC6.indd 3 01/11/2013 18:14 students learning about the forest Harvesting organic cabbages students from Antakusuma University’s agriculture faculty visiting the demonstration plots Chilli peppers Aubergines Tomatoes 4 WWW.ORANGUTAN.ORG.UK Red Ape AUTUMN 2013_RKC6.indd 4 01/11/2013 18:14 CONseRvation THROUGH community education Is A vital pART Of THe fOUNdation’s work, WHICH Is WHy We ARe pROUd to Be working WITH YayORIN, OUR long-TeRM local INdONesIAN pARTNeR. YayORIN HAs establisHed A conseRvation village, KAMpUNG KONseRvAsI – A LARGe, dyNAMIC eNvIRONMental-education compLex, promoting INTegrated conseRvation ANd cateRING fOR both CHILdReN ANd Adults. he education facilities that Kampung Konservasi offers include outdoor learning areas, an extensive library, Ta children’s puppet theatre, alternative-agriculture demonstration plots, fish farms, a medicinal-plant garden, a children’s camping ground, a composting facility and a learning bus.