ORANGUTAN HAVEN

A brand new naturalistic home for orangutans that have been harmed by humans, to live their lives receiving the care they need in an environment that supports their needs. These orangutans are victims of human-wildlife conflict and the pet trade and can never be released to the wild because of the harm that has been inflicted on them. They currently live in a quarantine and rescue centre, waiting for Orangutan Haven to be completed. Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) has created this world-first haven for these special orangutans to advocate for protection of their wild counterparts whilst living a worthy life in a comfortable environment. Orangutans can live for more than 50 years and every individual is worth saving in a Critically Endangered population that is rapidly declining. These orangutans deserve the dignity of living in open air, naturalistic habitats while receiving a high standard of care they need. Many of these orangutans are blind, having been deliberately shot in the eyes so they would not survive in the wild. I am privileged to work with these orangutans and the staff that care for them and have seen first hand how important it is to have a space like Orangutan Haven available for local people to learn why orangutans are critical to forests and therefore their own wellbeing and how their decisions impact orangutans in the wild.