Baby orangutan born in Aceh conservation center
Photo caption: The Post Release Monitoring team confirmed on July 29 at around 4:30 p.m. local time that an adult female orangutan was carrying a baby.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Forestry Ministry announced the birth of a female Sumatran orangutan infant at the Jantho Orangutan Reintroduction Center in Aceh Besar District, Aceh Province.
Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) Head Ujang Wisnu Barata confirmed that the newborn was discovered on July 29 during routine field monitoring, carried by her mother, Wenda.
Field observations indicated the female infant was less than a week old.
Monitoring teams had first noted signs of Wenda’s pregnancy in January after observing physical changes.
Wenda’s journey is a major conservation success story.
Rescued in 2009 at around one year old, she underwent rehabilitation at the SOCP Sibolangit Orangutan Quarantine and Rehabilitation Center in North Sumatra.
She was transferred to the Jantho Reintroduction Center in 2013 and successfully released into the wild in 2014.
Ujang emphasized that successful wild births demonstrate how collaborative stewardship—involving government agencies, conservation partners, and local communities—can establish thriving populations in the Jantho Nature Reserve.
"Protecting the Jantho Nature Reserve requires vigilant monitoring, active collaboration with conservation partners, and strong community involvement to prevent forest destruction and wildlife trafficking," Ujang said.
He added that the birth serves as both encouraging news and a crucial reminder that protecting forests directly means protecting life.
"Orangutans can only survive if their natural habitat remains preserved," he noted.
Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni highlighted the birth as a symbol of renewed hope for preserving Indonesia’s irreplaceable forest ecosystems and safeguarding endangered species.
He reaffirmed the government's commitment to wildlife conservation, cracking down on illegal animal trade, and ensuring rehabilitated orangutans can successfully adapt, survive, and reproduce in the wild.
