Letters From the Field ~ A Blog

Letters From the Field is a blog written by contributors studying or working with animals in their natural habitats. It is a compilation of their stories and/ or experiences.

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Gante

Posted: November 2010

Written by William O'Neill

This is Gante, a 15-year-old female free-ranging orangutan. She was released about  2 years ago, and keeps coming back to the center. I put her in this portfolio because she is like many orangutans at all the rehabilitation centers throughout Borneo and Sumatra.

There are always orangutans that come back regularly to the centers from which they were released in order to find food. Gante, as well as other released orangutans, can be dangerous if they are hungry and searching for food. The workers and the volunteers all have to stay back and keep a good distance away from her.

Gante never stays long, but we all had to stay close to the center and couldn't go to other animal enclosures where we had to use the trails. We always waited about a half an hour before we continued on with our work. If Gus was anywhere nearby, I had to grab her and carry her with me.

I thought these are good pictures to describe why orangutans come back to the center. The picture above is of Gante looking for food. The picture below is her leaving the center and going back to the jungle.