A new start for Lalas and James

On 14th May 2019, the HOCRU team worked together with local forestry authorities to evacuate female orangutan and her baby from a local resident’s plantation in Alur Selalas village, Aceh Province.

Later named Lalas (mother) and James (baby), the pair were tranquilised and evacuated safely. A general health check by HOCRU’s vet revealed that Lalas is about 25 years old and weighs 45 kg, while James is estimated to be about 1 year old. As both mother and baby were in good health, the team released them back into the wild in the forest later that day.

Carrying out a rescue during Ramadan fasting is not easy, but the team is dedicated, and being able to release a healthy pair of orangutans into a safe forest area makes everything worth it.