Orangutans released back into Borneo's rainforests, in pictures

An orangutan and her 18-month-old baby have been released back into Borneo's rainforests after they were rescued from an oil palm plantation


Ah Foo, 25, and her baby, Kebaco were rescued after a concerned farmer raised the alarm amid preparations for the harvest - which would have destroyed their home and put them in serious danger


Mother and baby head up into the forest, free again to live in the wild


The team took the mum and baby to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Malaysia to screen them for disease before being released to set up their new home amongst fellow great apes.


Doctor Laura Benedict, from Sarawak, East Malaysia, and her team at the Wildlife Rescue Unit sedated Ah Foo with tranquiliser for final medical checks and to take her baby away for safe transportation.

The pair were kept under observation for a few months before they were given the all-clear to be moved to their new home

Ah Foo is given an identifying number


Kebaco is given her own cage for the journey into the jungle as her mother is still drowsy and may accidentally fall onto her baby

The baby is fed ready for her journey into the wild

Kebaco getting ready for the journey into the jungle

Off road vehicles make the journey into the forest and away from humans in Sabah

On arrival at the chosen tree, nervous Kebaco had to be coaxed from her cage, whereas Ah Foo bolted into the foliage, knocking her baby from the tree in her haste. However after acclimatising herself to her new surroundings, she collected Kebaco and built a nest for her sleepy baby to snuggle up for an afternoon nap.

Doctor Benedict, who was present at the release, said: "When we first released them the mother actually straight away went up the tree leaving the baby behind. But after we left for about an hour she claimed back the baby from where we left her.

"This is the end of the operation for these particular orangutans but this will not end here. I'm hoping that both of them will continue to survive in the wild."




Credit: telegraph.co.uk