In this 3-part series Alice Moffett shares her experiences visiting Rainforest Rescue’s Plant a Rainforest Project, including each location on the Orangutan Adventure Trek’s itinerary.

Rainforest Rescue’s Orangutan Adventure Trek is a once in a lifetime experience you will always remember. In March 2010 you can experience the rainforests of Sumatra while viewing some of Sumatra’s unique and endangered species like the Orangutans and Elephants. Get hands on with local communities, visiting the Indonesian Plant A Rainforest Project and tree planting in cleared rainforest. Take part in a fundraising challenge which covers the trip costs as well as contributing significantly to helping reafforest and protect Orangutan habitat. More information at the end of this blog post.

Day 2&3: Viewing Orangutans in Sumatra
I am lucky enough to see an Orangutan, many in fact, from the Orangutan Feeding/Viewing Platform in Bukit Lawang, North Sumatra. The platform is located on the edge of the Gunung Leuser National Park and provides daily food to the 23 semi-wild Orangutans (some with babies) who have been released here. Orangutans are brought here after being rehabilitated from various harms including living in captivity as pets through the illegal animal trade or as orphans whose mothers have been killed by poachers or forest fires. Many have been subjected to the destructive effects of illegal forest clearing for timber or oil palm plantations, reducing their habitat and food source.

Just as yesterday, we are treated to a fine turnout of 8 female Orangutans, some with babies, and Bad Boy the teenage male. As I watch, the Orangutans peer over their day nests and swing down through the trees to receive their portion of bananas and skim milk (imported from Australia).  I am told by my guide, Orangutan Handler Darma, that if I look closely I will notice that each Orangutan has a unique personality and if we try we will observe different faces, expressions and patterns of movement.

As we look on I discover it is true, Suma the Orangutan who is currently drinking milk from a cup is large, has meek, adorable eyes and is very calm and in control. Darma informs us she has appeared on the cover of National Geographic. Meantime, swinging through the trees in an aggressive and rough manner is Nina, an Orangutan with a scarred left eyebrow and a reputation for possessive behaviour. While this may make Nina one of the least favoured Orangutans, she is also the most successful breeder, having never lost any of her babies. Not all Orangutan babies will survive until maturity with poaching, consumption of human litter, loss of habitat and disease posing just some of the threats.

We are warned not to try to touch the Orangutans as the spread of human illness is a main cause of death for these apes which share more than 96% of our DNA. Keeping distance also assists in the rehabilitation to wild-living process.

I see fellow tourists and Darma looking on in wonderment at the scene around us, Orangutans that are here today due to the tireless work of many individuals and organisations including Rainforest Rescue and their local partner in North Sumatra, the Orangutan Information Centre.

Ongoing work is required to provide rainforest growth toward expanding and protecting habitat for the Orangutan and other endangered species of the Sumatran rainforests. And, this local tree-plating project is coordinated by local people who now have an alternate income and livelihood to potential forest destructive activities.

Joining Rainforest Rescue’s Orangutan Adventure Trek is just one way to personally mitigate the impacts of forest destruction and habitat loss – and see Orangutans! You can have this experience, join the local community in tree planting and fundraise for rainforest reafforestation. Your friends are sure to love helping you meet your fundraising goal.
Join up and start fundraising now. Apart from the incredible experience, everyone who goes will help save and/or rehabilitate vital Orangutan habitat, as well as planting 10 trees themselves.

Orangutan Adventure Treks are being coordinated by Inspired Adventures.
Sign up for the Orangutan Adventure Trek at www.inspiredadventures.com.au/orangutanadventuretrek
Make a donation to the Rainforest Rescue Orangutan Habitat for Survival Project at http://www.rainforestrescue.org.au/ourprojects/save-a-rainforest-orangutan.html

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