First of all, I thank the foundation for giving me the chance to come to Tanjung Puting National Park. I am taking over the job here until we can find another vet able to do so. In this occasion I will report the latest news about Tanjung Puting National Park, especially the orangutans health condition.

I went to Tanjung Puting National Park on July 30th, 2000 and stayed at the first station ( Tanjung Harapan ). I have been told on the phone by Mr.Susiantoro that the orangutan named Yuyun ( female ) has a stomach problem with a symptom of swollen and little bit hard belly. From my examination, I found that her stomach was swollen due to constipation. From her feces test, I found some intestine worm eggs. I treated her by unthematic, antibiotic and also laxative. After three days of treatment, her stomach was getting better and she defecated normally. Her belly also did not swell anymore. The last time I saw Yuyun at the first station she was playing with the other babies, Alui and Adung. Some time she went to the forest during the day and back to the station in the evening.

Nyoman and Bonzen the other babies came to the station occasionally for the feeding time. Their condition is very good. Most of the time we have to keep them in our clinic when they come to the station in the evening because they do not have enough time to build a nest. We release them in the morning for the feeding and then let them to go to the forest.

Alui and Adung are in the good condition too. We still keep them in the Ranger house every night for their safety. They also need to be fed milk during the night. Alui's condition is looking much better than before I left on June. His genitalia organ is not swollen anymore. Both of these babies have a new baby sitter who comes from the village across the river from the park. Her name is Airun. We feel very lucky and respect her for her great dedication to the orangutan even though we can not give her much of a salary. We have informed to the PHPA / park office that we have to hire her because the orangutan babies need a special treatment.

Regarding the Rangers, they have a lot problems especially concerning their salary. They have not been paid by PHPA for four months. We have no idea why this thing could happen with the government office like PHPA, but we heard that the budget for rehabilitation has not yet come from the central government in Jakarta. We try to cover their expenses more than we used to in order to keep them working.

We have assistance from an English volunteer named Ms. Susan Dempster who gave us some good ideas in improving the information center at the park by adding and re-arranging the pictures, leaflets and other information kits.

We also have a bin project. We collect the plastic and non organic rubbish and put them in the plastic bag and send them out of the park by klotok. I visited the other station to check all the orangutan condition, if there was a klotok to go there and if the tourists will allow me to join them.

Michael the Gibbon is in good condition and he is at the second station. As I informed in our previous report, we moved him to the second station because he was disturbing the orangutan babies. We do hope that he can get a better condition here as he is not playing with the orangutan babies anymore. Right now he still stays around the ranger house and never goes far to the forest. Hopefully he will not be attacked by any wild animals.

Near the second station Pondok Tanggui there are still some logging activities and they are getting closer and closer everyday. Recently their position is just about 200 meters from the station. Every morning is a lot of noise from the logging activities. We are worried that one day this place will not be a good place for the ex captive orangutan. There are still many logs being pulled down from the park through Sekonyer River. I have seen once that just in one day three long rails or wood was pulled down the river and each rail may be about 50-70 meter length. This is a continued sad situation and seems the government still has no control of these loggers. We can only hope through more of your support of awareness, this beautiful national park can be saved.

Best regards

Drh I Made Widana
FNPF Volunteer

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