Orangutan rehabilitation and reintroduction

Abstract

Projects for rehabilitating then releasing ex-captive orangutans to free forest life have operated continuously, throughout the orangutan’s modern range, on both Borneo and Sumatra, since the 1960s. This chapter assesses the role of rehabilitation in the conservation of orangutan populations in their natural habitat in light of over 40 years of operation. The chapter reviews the history of orangutan rehabilitation efforts, including its priorities, politics, and practicalities relative to conservation. The chapter also reviews available empirical data on survival rates, activity budgets, diet, and reproduction in an effort to assess the success of orangutan rehabilitation empirically, as a basis for responding to persistent criticisms that orangutan rehabilitation is not successful and does not contribute to conservation. Finally, the chapter discusses how orangutan rehabilitation operates today, as a basis for understanding the complexities involved, modern approaches to programming, remaining limitations, and continuing challenges.

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