Rescued orangutans learn life skills at indonesian “jungle school” to prepare for return to the wild

Deep in North Sumatra’s forests, a unique rehabilitation program is giving orphaned orangutans a second chance at life. The Orangutan Information Centre (OIC) operates what staff call “jungle school”—an intensive training program where veterinarians and biologists teach rescued orangutans the essential survival skills they need to thrive in their natural habitat.

These young orangutans arrive at the center after being confiscated from illegal wildlife traders, often traumatized and lacking the basic knowledge their mothers would have taught them. Through careful rehabilitation, they learn crucial skills like climbing trees, building nests for sleeping, and identifying safe foods in the forest. The ultimate goal is to release them back into protected wild areas once they’ve mastered these life-or-death capabilities.

The program addresses a conservation crisis facing one of our closest relatives. Sumatran orangutans once flourished throughout the island’s lowland forests, but their population has plummeted by more than 80% over the past 75 years. This dramatic decline stems from widespread habitat destruction, illegal poaching, and conflict killings as human development encroaches on their territory.

Sanctuaries like OIC represent hope on the frontlines of conservation efforts. By rescuing individual orangutans from the wildlife trade and preparing them for life in protected forests, these programs work to rebuild populations of this critically endangered species. Each successfully rehabilitated orangutan represents not just a rescued individual, but a potential contributor to the species’ long-term survival in the wild.