BANIR

After being released from the isolation cage, Redi and Seko were temporarily placed in the social cage that had previously been occupied by Banir, Julia, and Otan. This meant that, for a period of time, the cage housed five individuals. However, after an evaluation by the team, it was determined that this number was too high for a single social cage, as it could cause stress and competition for resources. Consequently, Redi and Seko were moved to the adjacent cage, while the main social cage returned to being occupied only by Banir, Julia, and Otan.

During the period when the five orangutans shared the same cage, there was a noticeable shift in social dynamics. Banir, who had previously been relatively dominant among Julia and Otan, began showing defensive behavior after Redi joined the group. Redi was observed several times attempting to take Banir’s food, and when this happened, Banir appeared submissive and showed signs of fear. This situation indicated that the presence of new individuals had temporarily affected Banir’s dominance within the group.

However, after Redi was moved and the group returned to three individuals — Banir, Julia, and Otan — Banir once again displayed dominant and aggressive behavior, particularly during feeding sessions. She appeared very greedy and often tried to seize food from the others. On several occasions, the animal keepers had to ensure that Banir’s hands, feet, and mouth were full of food so that she would not immediately attempt to take food from Julia or Otan.

This situation even caused Otan to show signs of distress. On one occasion, she was observed throwing her food outside the cage as a reaction to avoid Banir’s attempts to snatch it. Julia also seemed more cautious, choosing to stay away or wait until Banir finished eating before taking her share.

In addition to these social changes, Benazir — Banir’s mother — was relocated to a new cage in the Jerora Forest School area, which is quite far from where Banir currently resides. This move was made because Benazir would rejoin forest school activities as part of her rehabilitation process.

Interestingly, despite now being separated from her mother, Banir has not shown any signs of stress or significant behavioral changes. She remains active, responsive to her surroundings, and shows a good level of independence in adapting without Benazir’s presence nearby.

Overall, Banir’s current condition demonstrates that she has adapted well to both environmental and social changes, although she still displays dominant behavior during feeding. The team will continue to closely monitor her interactions with the other individuals to ensure that social dynamics remain balanced and that no prolonged conflicts arise.