Whenever forest school begins, Sinta, a female orangutan, always shows remarkable enthusiasm. Without hesitation, she immediately climbs up the trees and moves toward the middle of the forest while carrying her baby, Sabine. The two appear in perfect harmony and full of curiosity about their surroundings, forming a close and nurturing mother–infant pair among the lush canopy of Jerora Forest.

Their journey often pauses when Sinta finds fruits or other natural food sources. These moments are precious — Sinta enjoys her meal alongside Sabine or allows her little one to play nearby while keeping a watchful eye. Once finished, Sinta usually waits for Sabine to end her playtime before continuing their exploration, often with Sabine riding comfortably on her shoulders.

Sinta seems to thoroughly enjoy her life in the treetops. She prefers to stay and move within the forest canopy rather than on the ground. Interestingly, during forest school sessions, Sinta almost never eats the cabbage provided by the keepers. Instead, she chooses to search for and consume wild fruits and other natural foods she finds herself. This behavior indicates that Sinta has developed a strong natural adaptation and reliance on forest resources — an important characteristic of orangutans ready for an independent life in the wild.

Although Sinta often rests on tree branches without making a nest, observers have recorded her engaging in nest-building behavior during a nest observation session. This record provides valuable evidence that Sinta has mastered one of the essential natural skills of wild orangutans — nest-building for comfort and safety while resting, especially at night.

Compared to Jamilah, another orangutan mother, Sinta tends to sleep later. This is mainly due to Sabine’s active nature; the young orangutan often continues playing until dusk, around 6:00 PM. As the forest darkens, the mother and child settle down to rest high in the trees, displaying the orangutans’ natural behavior of sleeping safely above the ground.

Throughout forest school activities, Sinta shows very little interaction with observers. She appears indifferent and undisturbed by human presence around her. Her calm and independent demeanor reflects her strong wild instincts and high level of self-reliance — both positive signs in developing the natural behaviors needed for survival in her native habitat.

Sinta