Rehabilitated Bornean Orangutan named ‘Tiger’ returned to the wild
LAHAD DATU: A male Bornean Orangutan named ‘ Tiger’ was successfully translocated back to the wild, 18 years after it first arrived at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Sandakan as a two year old.
The joint effort between the Sabah Wildlife Department and UK based charity, Orangutan Appeal UK ( OAUK) saw the 20 year old Orangutan returning to the Lahad Datu district where he was rescued from a logging camp.
Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said Tiger was timid when he was sent to Sepilok almost two decades ago, and has since undergone rehabilitation.
“Ironically Tiger was rescued from a logging camp somewhere in Lahad Datu and is now being translocated to Tabin Wildlife Reserve, also in Lahad Datu. This wildlife reserve is an ideal place to release the Orangutan as it is large enough for Tiger to comfortably forage in.
“The Sabah Wildlife Department would like to thank Orangutan Appeal UK for funding this whole translocation operation which cost more than RM50,000.
“We would also like to thank the Malaysian Palm Oil Council for funding the department’s important Wildlife Rescue Unit which played a critical part in making this translocation operation a success,” he said.
Orangutan Appeal UK founder and chairperson Sue Sheward said it was a historic moment for the large male Orangutan to get translocated from Sepilok to the the Tabin Wildlife Reserve.
“Teams from the Sabah Wildlife Department, the Wildlife Rescue Unit and Orangutan Appeal UK all pooled their resources to make this amazing achievement possible,” said Sue.
“With the assistance of good friends within Sabah and the UK, yet another magnificent Orangutan has been saved,” she said.
The Orangutan is a Totally Protected Species under the Sabah Wildlife Enactment 1997. — Bernama