Sinta en Sabine

As rest time approached, Sabine first moved toward an old nest that had been used previously. Sinta remained on a branch, watching Sabine from a distance. Shortly afterward, Sinta followed and made some minor repairs by adding some leaves to the nest. After ensuring the nest was sufficiently comfortable, Sabine left again to explore briefly. Sometime later, Sinta was observed “retrieving” Sabine and guiding her back to the nest, where they rested and slept together.

At the beginning of 2026, Jerora Forest School entered the fruiting season. A wide variety of forest fruits, including those from the palm family, became abundantly available. This condition greatly influenced the activity patterns of Sinta and her infant, Sabine. Over several days of observation, both were seen to be more actively exploring the forest, both on the forest floor and in the canopy, with longer exploration periods compared to previous days.

Sabine’s development has become one of the most notable aspects during this period. She appears increasingly confident and bold in her explorations. Sabine has begun to venture farther away from her mother, although still within a safe distance and under Sinta’s supervision. Her curiosity toward forest fruits is clearly reflected in her enthusiastic behavior—swinging from branch to branch, moving actively, and sampling various natural food sources in her surroundings.

One particularly endearing moment that also illustrated the strong mother–infant bond occurred when Sinta moved some distance away. Sabine appeared panicked and quickly rushed to follow her mother, as if unwilling to be left alone. This incident demonstrates that although Sabine is beginning to show greater independence in exploration, her emotional dependence on her mother remains very strong.

Exploration activities were generally more intensive in the morning and late afternoon. In between these periods, Sinta and Sabine were often observed resting on tree branches. Sinta tended to rest for longer durations, while Sabine paused only briefly—most commonly during nursing. In recent days, there have been fewer “forest school” activities in the sense of structured training, as their primary focus has been on natural foraging and resting, in line with the abundance of forest fruits.

Interestingly, Sinta and Sabine were also observed to be relatively indifferent to the presence of observers. As Sintang has begun to enter the dry season, with lower rainfall intensity, the forest school environment has felt calmer and more comfortable, supporting their natural activities with minimal disturbance.

From a health perspective, both Sinta and Sabine were observed to be in very good condition. Their feeding patterns were normal, and no concerning health issues were identified. Although a few other individuals experienced mild cold-like symptoms, these were promptly managed by the SOC medical team, who remain vigilant in monitoring the health of all orangutans.

Sabine

Sabine