Update on “Island of the Giants” (22-03-2026)

Last week the Arsari Foundation management visited the project to test a new approach to dealing with “surplus” adult male orangutans. I am also a member of the IUCN primate specialist group for orangutans and it saddens me to hear the ongoing discussions about euthanizing healthy male orangutans. At the moment the Arsari Foundation is trying to bring two male orangutans that were to be euthanized but at the last moment were temporarily taken in by the Aspinall Foundation to the Arsari Foundation’s ”Island of the Giants” project.

 

The Arsari Djojohadikusumo Foundation has invested a lot of effort and financial support to set up the orangutan quarantine, socialization facilities and now the specially built facilities on the Kalawasen Island.  Not least they had to navigate unknown territory because this project is unique and no one has ever tried the new approach and there were no clear regulations on how to deal with this new system. What also complicated the matters was that the foundation’s center all of a sudden fell under the new capital city that has its own special authority for conservation issues. In the mean time those issues have been settled between Nusantara, the ministry of Forestry and the Foundation.

 

So here is an update. The foundation’s board visited the orangutans and the island and I joined them the whole trip. First the five big males were visited. I am so pleased with the progress achieved. Through shared enrichment and frequent changes in space occupation the activity level has been excellent and what is more important the interactions between the five have resulted in an absence of aggression and clearly established rankings in the group. Bento is the dominant one, partly because of his close association with Boni. Beni has accepted that and stopped the challenges. The last two to join, Mungki and Dodo are still the lowest ranking but they have peaceful relations with all the higher ranking males. Based upon the observations Mungki and Dodo will be the first two to be transported to the island. Two days later it will be Benni and another two days later Bento and Boni.

 

The island is ready. Two permanently manned security posts above the water can control traffic from all directions. Clear sign boards are everywhere. The entrance water ways to the various feeding platforms are made impassable by strong locked fences and beams. The feeding platforms can be provided by specially bought new boats or by a drone with food. There are six feeding platforms around the island besides the shelters and the special entrance facility. The constructions are all made to last a hundred years. Pilons had to be used going as deep as 17 meters into the mud before they reached solid bedrock. The entrance facility has a collector for drinking water as have all the feeding platforms. It also has a special sluice to safely check on the orangutans after release.

 

So here are some pictures and explanations:

Inspectie bij de kooien. Hier een mooie interactie tussen Dodo en Mungki. Je hoort Hashim in de achtergrond.

 

 

En deze is nog van enige tijd geleden, maar te leuk om niet te delen met jullie.

Willie Smits en orang-oetan Boni videobellen samen met Leo Hulsker in Nederland.

Willie zegt “hallo Boni. Hier is je vriend Leo.” En “Leo je krijgt veel kusjes van Boni” (voordat de dokter begon te filmen)