Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

Our recent posts on Gundul:

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/gundul-orangutan-further-support-for-shelters-required/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/borneo-20-years-on-a-chain-with-no-companion-please-write-to-the-bosf-and-ask-them-to-take-action-for-once/

LATEST NEWS

Sat Oct 20, 2012 12:12 am (PDT) .

BOS Foundation Assists BKSDA on Gundul’s Case
19, October 2012

For photographs please click on the following link:

http://orangutan.or.id/bos-foundation-assists-bksda-on-gunduls-case/

Tenggarong, East Kalimantan, October 19, 2012. On Thursday October 18, 2012,
the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation was requested by the East
Kalimantan Conservation and Natural Resources Authority (BKSDA) to provide
medical services, health checks and blood sampling at the East Kalimantan
BKSDA Office in Samarinda for one adult female orangutan who had just been
rescued by BKSDA.

Gundul when she first arrived at the office of Conservation and Natural
Resources Authority (BKSDA) in Samarinda, East Kalimantan

The female orangutan named Gundul who we were previously informed to be 21
years old had recently become a hot topic on various channels of
internet-based social media. It was reported that the orangutan was kept in
dreadful condition and chained by her owner near a dumpster in a village in
Samarinda. It was also stated that Gundul suffered from malnutrition because
she was not fed properly and was often seen scavenging the nearby dumpster.

Based on that information, BKSDA followed up by rescuing Gundul and planned
to later submit her to a conservation agency in West Kutai Regency, PT.
Satwa Gunung Bayan Lestari (SGBL). But considering the long trip to West
Kutai that would take around 7-8 hours, BKSDA decided to first transport
Gundul to the office of BKSDA Area II in Tenggarong where she could rest
overnight and her health could be fully assessed.

Transit enclosures at BKSDA Area II Tenggarong Office where Gundul (left)
and Joko (ringt) spent one night last night

This morning, Friday October 19, 2012, the BOS Foundation Medical Team led
by veterinarian Agus Irwanto conducted a thorough medical examination on
Gundul. After she was sedated, vet Irwanto checked her teeth to determine
Gundul’s age. Her upper teeth showed M2 formation, whilst her lower teeth
showed M3 formation. “M2 and M3 refer to the order molar teeth start
growing. M2 formation indicates an age of 7 years and above, and M3
indicates an age of 13 years and above,” explained vet Agus. “So based on
the combination of these two formations, Gundul is estimated to be only
around 12-13 years old.”

Dental check on Gundul to determine her age

Thorough health check results also show that thankfully Gundul is in good
health. She is not malnourished and her hair is also in a good condition.
The BOS Foundation Medical Team did find light traces indicating that she
had been chained. However, she could not have been chained tightly and it
seems that she had only been chained recently, not over a long period of
time. She is emotionally stable, she is not aggressive and does not show
signs of trauma. Although the BOS Foundation do not condone the chaining of
orangutans in any situation, we are relieved that her condition was not as
serious as reported.

Mr. Ahmad Rivai who led the BKSDA Team today confirmed, “When we rescued
Gundul yesterday, we did find her on a long, loose chain which actually
allowed her to run around. In fact, when we arrived at the location, she was
playing in a tree.” This may explain why Gundul showed some signs of stress
when she was transferred into the transit enclosure in Tenggarong, as she is
not used to being in an enclosed space.

Health check on Gundul by BOSF Medical Team

This morning at around 8.30am local time, the BKSDA Team departed for West
Kutai to deliver Gundul to SGBL. The BOS Foundation Medical Team is
requested to accompany the BKSDA Team. Additionally, the BOS Foundation is
also providing transportation and logistics for the orangutan. The BOS
Foundation will equip both the BKSDA Team and SGBL with animal welfare
procedures, especially designed to accommodate orangutan welfare.

Gundul (left) and Joko (right) ready to be delivered to a conservation
organization in West Kutai, PT Satwa Gunung Bayan Lestari

In response to this event, the BOS Foundation CEO, Dr. Jamartin Sihite
commented, “As an organization struggling to rehabilitate orangutans and
return them to their natural habitat, the BOS Foundation has never even
thought of ignoring orangutans who are victimized by human-ape conflicts and
are waiting to be rescued.”

“However,” Dr. Sihite continued, “We must also be honest about our ability
and capacity, which currently are stretched to the maximum in terms of
enclosure availability, human resources, as well as funding and many other
factors. Forcing ourselves to rescue and take in an orangutan when these are
the circumstances will compromise the welfare of the entire orangutan
population currently under our care.”

Two BOS Foundation rehabilitation centers – Samboja Lestari in East
Kalimantan and Nyaru Menteng in Central Kalimantan – currently care for and
rehabilitate a total of 850 orangutans with the final aim to release them in
their natural habitat in a secure forest.

Furthermore, the government of Indonesia has also set a target for
rehabilitation centers in Indonesia to release all of the release-able
orangutans under their care by 2015. A target that appears difficult to
achieve if the number of orangutans victimized by human-ape conflicts
continues and exceeds rehabilitation centers’ ability to accommodate,
rehabilitate and release them.

In addition to delivering Gundul, BKSDA also rescued a healthy young male
orangutan found in Sebulu, named Joko. He is estimated to be around 5-6
years old and together with Gundul will be delivered to SGBL.

It is essential that financial support is now given – please help:

We are putting out a request for Orangutan help by way of the following:

Here is a link to the BOSF home page:  http://orangutan.or.id/

Here is a link to the BOSF donations page: http://adoption.orangutan.or.id/

Alternatively, you could support their release programme. A donation can be made at:: http://orangutan.or.id/donate/

Please give and donate whatever you can to help with rescue and keep projects.

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With regard our recent post re Gundul the Orangutan:

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/borneo-20-years-on-a-chain-with-no-companion-please-write-to-the-bosf-and-ask-them-to-take-action-for-once/ 

– it appears to have caused some reponses. There are a few things which we need to make clear.

Michelle states in her message to us:

“The sad reality at present is that rescue centres are over-subscribed and funds limited. Asking a rescue centre to take in more orangutans when these are the circumstances can put the entire population in the centre at risk. Such decisions to rescue or not to rescue are not taken lightly. Until significant funding can be raised, and more orangutans released, this is likely to remain the case for some time. So PLEASE do not imagine that the rescue centres lack compassion, PLEASE do not stop supporting them, and PLEASE give whatever you can to help them continue to do the amazing work they already do”.

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We, as animal welfare campaigners would never stop asking people to support Orangutan welfare organisations – quite the opposite – they are in desperate need of funding, just like the organsisations we represent – ALL animal welfare groups are strapped for cash !.  We ask that people help them either with a donation or a yearly adoption; membership etc.  As a UK organisation, we support the Care for the Wild Orangutan adoption programme, as it operates from here in the UK.   We are ornagutan supporter people.

We are told – “People could write to the Indonesian authorities, or better still start a campaign”  It is not our position as a welfare organisation working to help strays in the Balkans to now start a campaign for Orangutans in Indonesia; this is the responsibility of others directly associated with this cause – especially the major (animal welfare) organisations who dominate their web pages with ‘Donate now’ and ‘Give Monthly’ links; and who proudly show themselves as international charities with, in one case, offices in no less than 10 European countries, South Africa and the USA.

Some also claim to have ‘a team in Brussels who take part in relevant political decision-making processes’. They also ‘lobby and submit proposals to governments in individual countries where they can help improve national animal welfare laws’.  We suggest that these animal welfare organisations use their extensive supporter networks, extensive websites, extensive funds and their ‘political teams in Brussels’ to better highlight the suffering of Orangutans – that THEY get campaigns under way to further support this beautiful species by putting additional pressure on the Indonesian authorities.

We are told – “Should the Indonesian authorities not be paying more to organisations like BOS and encouraging visitors and tourists to visit and support their centres” ? – sure they should; without question.  This is where large funds and ‘expert campaigners’ from big animal welfare organisations (those with no less than 10 offices in the EU, South Africa and the USA) should possibly be looking at giving more priority to issues such as this; and supporting the extra publicity needed with funding donated by its members and supporters at the end of the day.

If the large animal welfare organisations with offices all over the world are going to take money from their members and supporters, then possibly this money or some of it, should be allocated to enhancing campaigning for orangutan protection.  Whilst we support the work of any animal welfare organisation, contact with supporters and providing feedback to them is one of the prime issues that should be considered.  From all of our mails relating to the issue of Gundul, which includes writing ourselves, if BOSFCEO Mr. Sihite even actually bothered to respond to peoples mails, then we would be seeing maybe some positive movement to help Gundul.  You have to ask yourself; do people want to put their cash and donations and support orgaisations which cannot even be bothered to respond to peoples concerns about any particular animal ? – we suggest not.

If BOSF CEO Mr. Sihite did respond to concerned people about issues, possibly by putting out a statement via all the global links he has, then he may find that he dramatically increases the support and possible funding that his organisation receives.  Giving people regular updates is a natural thing to keeping their support; ignoring them achieves nothing except helps to drive them and their support, and most importantly, their cash, elsewhere.  Take this point on board Mr. Sihite if you want donations from supporters; inform them; put out requests and info dealing with specific issues; don’t just ignore the concerns of concerned people.  We can guarantee you do not increase your supporter network by ignoring your supporters !

We are putting out a request for Orangutan help in Indonesia by way of the following:

Here is a link to the BOSF home page:  http://orangutan.or.id/

Here is a link to the BOSF donations page: http://adoption.orangutan.or.id/

Alternatively, you could support their release programme. A donation can be made at:: http://orangutan.or.id/donate/

It is clear that more sanctuary places are needed in Eastern Borneo. More people are required who are willing to dedicate their lives to saving these wonderful animals.  The people who work on the ground do what they can with resources they have, as we are only too aware.  As we have said above; one sometimes has to question where all the supporter money is going which is generously pumped into animal welfare organisations who have offices all over the world.  Does it go to the animals or elsewhere ?

We at SAV never ask you for your money – we do not have a ‘donation’ link or any ‘Give Monthly’ scheme; any money links on our site, as we wish all monies to go directly to helping animals.  Supporters are informed of different organisations undertaking different animal welfare work – they, and only them, then make a choice of how and where they invest their donations.  BOSF is one such organisation which we would give our full support to; and as such we ask that you, our supporters, consider them for future donations.  Only through supporting them can animals like grundul be helped at bigger and better sanctuaries in the future.

Nobody is saying that Orangutan rescue centre workers lack ciompassion; quite the opposite.  Experience with stray animal welfare work in the Balkans shows compassion is shown by anyone working with animals – tell us about it !

But supporter feedback and information supply is an essential part of the work – lose your feedback and info supply to supporters and you lose your supporters – simple as that.  No supporters = no donations to shelters and sanctuaries which very much need money.

End of this now; we will not be covering this issue any further – this issue is now for organisations directly associated with orangutan support.  They need to organise campaigns for orangutans – not stray animal groups in the UK trying to help street animals in the Balkans.  We are happy to promote their work on our site, but they have to do the groundwork for their issues.  And more importantly, they need to tell the world, not just ignore all the requests of concern from around the world !

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Submitted on 2012/10/16 at 3:08 pm

Thank you for this balanced reply, and it is regrettable that BOS F felt unable to answer immediately.

They have today written to concerned supporters with nearly the same message that I put out: “Thank you for your concern for the orangutan, but please try to understand the sad reality at present is that our rescue centres are over-subscribed and funds limited.

Asking any of our rescue centres to take in more orangutans when these are the circumstances can put the entire population in the centre at risk. Such decisions to rescue or not to rescue are not taken lightly.

Until significant funding can be raised, and more orangutans released, this is likely to remain the case for some time.

So PLEASE do not imagine that we lack compassion, PLEASE do not stop supporting us, and PLEASE give whatever you can to help us continue to do the work we do.
Thank you.

bos_komunikasi@orangutan.or.id

Thank you everyone for caring for animals, wherever they are.

Michelle

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Please tell me how to be able to arrange to have Gundul transported to the USA, i will find her a place to live PLEASE, SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE ONE MORE DAY THERE, I AM OFFERING TO TAKE HER AND ARRANGE TO TRANSPORT AND RELOCATE AND HOUSE HERE. i DON’T CARE THAT YOU SAY THE CENTERS ARE FULL. WHO DO I NEED TO TALK TO??????? THIS IS INSANE

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