Perth Zoo orang-utan swings into wild in world first

26/10/06
In a world first, Perth Zoo's 14-year old Sumatran orang-utan Temara will be released into a protected Indonesian national park as part of an international effort to re-establish a population of the critically endangered animals in the wild.
Environment Minister Mark McGowan said Temara, who was born at Perth Zoo, would be carefully monitored and supported on a daily basis for at least 12 months and longer if necessary.
Mr McGowan said a team of veterinarians, keepers and zoo officials had spent the past year meticulously planning and preparing for the transfer.
"This return of a species to its native country is a landmark initiative between the Indonesian Government and the Western Australian Government, Perth Zoo, the Sumatran Orang-utan Conservation Program, the Frankfurt Zoological Society and the Australian Orang-utan Project," the Minister said.
Temara will be transferred by air to Indonesia next Tuesday (October 31).
She will spend two weeks in quarantine before her release into the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park in eastern Sumatra, as part of an established orang-utan reintroduction project run by the Sumatran Orang-utan Conservation Program (SOCP).
With the support of the Indonesian Government, the SOCP has released more than 50 former pet trade or orphaned orang-utans into Bukit Tigapuluh National Park in the past four years, with the aim of re-establishing a viable orang-utan population in the park.
"This will be the first release of a captive-born zoo orang-utan into the wild in the world and is a natural extension for Perth Zoo which has been successfully breeding threatened native animals for release into the wild in WA for more than a decade," Mr McGowan said.
"The release of Temara provides the opportunity to increase the numbers and genetic diversity of the orang-utan population in Bukit Tigapuluh.
"Considering that the Sumatran Orang-utan is the slowest reproducing species on earth and faces extinction in the wild within the next 10-15 years, it would be enormously positive if Temara's release was successful."
The Minister said Temara was hand-picked for the project based on her sex, age, health and temperament.
As part of her comprehensive pre-release preparation, Temara had been introduced to Indonesian fruits, live termites and a wider variety of leaves and had undergone extensive health checks.
She had also been given access to a 30m high fig tree to hone her climbing and nest-making skills and improve her fitness and muscle tone to assist with the transition to tall rainforest trees.

Temara will be closely monitored by SOCP staff and Perth Zoo staff, who are travelling to Indonesia with her, and will be followed for at least 12 months after her release. Staff will track Temara each day and provide her with food if necessary.
The Minister said it was acknowledged that Temara might not fully adapt to her wild environment.
"If this is the case, she will remain supported in the rainforest with ongoing assistance," he said.
"Temara's well-being will be the number one priority."
Mr McGowan said the Indonesian Government's support for the project and the high level of protection at the national park had been important factors in Perth Zoo's decision to become involved.
"Bukit Tigapuluh is an extremely important area of land guarded by specially trained anti-logging and anti-poaching Orang-utan protection units," he said.
"It is the only national park in Sumatra with a complete representation of Sumatran mega fauna including the Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Elephant, Sun Bear, tapir, possibly Sumatran Rhinoceros and now the re-established population of Sumatran Orang-utan."
Perth Zoo has one of the most successful breeding colonies of Sumatran Orang-utan in the world and has the capacity to breed orang-utans for release into the wild on an ongoing basis, pending the outcome of the release of Temara.
Mr McGowan said Perth Zoo's role in this initiative underlined a new direction for modern zoos, with an increased focus and involvement in field conservation including breeding for release programs.
The Minister said Temara's progress in the forest would be recorded in detail, providing vital information on the adaptation of zoo-born orang-utans to a wild environment.
"For zoo orang-utans to be genuinely considered a back-up option for wild populations, there must be a proven way of transferring their genetic material back to wild-living populations," he said.
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