“The Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) is the only project actively establishing entirely new, genetically viable and self-sustaining wild populations of any great ape species, anywhere in the world”.
They do this through rehabilitation of confiscated illegal pet orangutans and orangutans who have been hurt or displaced by humans and releasing them back into protected forest.
Almost 300 Sumatran orangutans have been released into the wild since 2002 but there are some orangutans who can never be released due to being so severely injured or affected by humans that to release them would mean certain death.
Orangutans like Leuser, a blind adult male who was shot 62 times with an air rifle, mostly aimed at his head and eyes. Leuser would never survive in the forest if he was released (and in fact he was released once before being shot, then found again by villagers and attacked with a machete and shot).
Orangutans can live for up to 60 years. They are incredibly intelligent animals who share almost 97% of DNA with humans and deserve a good quality of life while being cared for. This cannot be achieved by living in what are designed to be temporary cages in SOCP’s quarantine centre. Every orangutan deserves a good life and so SOCP have come up with a plan to provide high quality care for these special orangutans whilst giving them the opportunity to live in a more natural environment and be much needed ambassadors for their species and habitat.
Orangutan Haven is a 48 hectare site of lush greenery and man-made islands that will provide homes for orangutans who can never go back to the wild. The first orangutan resident will be moving into his new home very soon, before being joined by others as the remaining eight orangutan islands are completed. Orangutan Haven will be open to the public, to learn about orangutans, the environment and sustainable practices.
SOCP and Orangutan Haven rely on donations and grants to enable them to provide world class rehabilitation, research, education, habitat protection and conservation work as well as build this world-first orangutan home.
