June 2012. A new baby orangutan has arrived at the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre run by International Animal Rescue (IAR) in West Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. The Agency of Natural Resources Conservation (BKSDA) in West Kalimantan rescued the orangutan, named Anyin, who was being kept illegally as a pet, and IAR's rescue team brought her to the clinic at IAR's Centre where she is in intensive care.
Very sick
"After being kept as a pet for more than eighteen months, the owner only decided to hand over Anyin to BKSDA officers because the baby was very sick and he knew she could die" says Dr Adi Irawan, Manager of Ketapang Orangutan Centre.
"After being kept as a pet for more than eighteen months, the owner only decided to hand over Anyin to BKSDA officers because the baby was very sick and he knew she could die" says Dr Adi Irawan, Manager of Ketapang Orangutan Centre.
Cost $140
The owner had purchased the baby orangutan for just 1,150,000IDR (which is equivalent to only about 140USD). "A pittance to pay for an endangered animal..." states Dr Karmele Llano Sanchez, Executive Director of Yayasan IAR Indonesia. A hunter had killed the mother to catch the baby and sell it in the illegal pet trade.
The owner had purchased the baby orangutan for just 1,150,000IDR (which is equivalent to only about 140USD). "A pittance to pay for an endangered animal..." states Dr Karmele Llano Sanchez, Executive Director of Yayasan IAR Indonesia. A hunter had killed the mother to catch the baby and sell it in the illegal pet trade.
Rarest subspecies
"This Orangutan comes from Sambas Regency," continues Dr Sanchez, "This area is home to the most endangered subspecies of the Bornean orangutan, Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus". This subspecies has been recently included in the IUCN Red List of the 25 most endangered primates in the world with only a small wild population living in the north part of West Kalimantan province and in Sarawak in Malaysia.
"This Orangutan comes from Sambas Regency," continues Dr Sanchez, "This area is home to the most endangered subspecies of the Bornean orangutan, Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus". This subspecies has been recently included in the IUCN Red List of the 25 most endangered primates in the world with only a small wild population living in the north part of West Kalimantan province and in Sarawak in Malaysia.
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