Kehje Sewen - new reintroduction area for orangutans

The BOS Foundation acquired a license to use the rainforest Hutan Lestari in 2009.

The new project Hutan Lestari (Indonesian: "Eternal Forest"), the former forest clearing territory of the timber group "Mugitriman, is 86 000 hectares (860 km 2) large, a partly mountainous area in East-Kalimantan/Borneo.

About 20,000 hectares (200 km 2) of this area consists of primary forest that has, till now, not been harmed by deforestation.

Like any large forest area Hutan Lestari is also important for the CO2 balance and the preservation of moisture in the atmosphere and as such, for climate protection and the preservation of biological diversity.

Hutan Lestari is a suitable habitat for about 130 Orang-utans.

The aim of the project is the establishment of a reproductively capable group of orangutans. The area is well suited for introduction into the wild, as it is geographically limited by mountains and rivers and thus the risk of conflict with other orangutan populations living in East Kalimantan is unlikely.

On 19.11.2009 the official handover of the first forest concession for orangutan protection took place in the Indonesian Forestry Ministry in Jakarta. Also taking part in the official ceremony were representatives from BOS Germany.

Signe Preuschoft (Four Paws), Boris Thiemig (BOS Germany), Prof. Bungaran Saragih, Ir. Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo (BOS Foundation) and representatives of the East Kalimantan Provincial Government

The acquisition of a Rights of Use License from the Indonesian government is only legally possible for companies. Therefore, the BOS Foundation has established a company (PT Indonesia Orangutan Habitat Restorasi, RHOI), which will hold the concession for BOS and has submitted a detailed medium-term development plan for the area.

The opportunity for this innovative step resulted from the Indonesian government's Orangutan Action Plan, which plans to reintroduce all orangutans capable of rehabilitation to the wild by 2017. This requires of course suitable available sites.

COMPANY PROFILE - PT RHOI (ca. 7MB)