Shot, half blind, but free

A 30 year old female orangutan has been rescued from an oil palm plantation in Langkat district, North Sumatra.

She was isolated in the plantation for at least 7 days. She was rescued yesterday by the HOCRU team from Orangutan Information Centre (OIC), with the participation of BKSDA North Sumatra (Nature Conservation Agency) and Gunung Leuser National Park officers.

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The orangutan was malnourished and had been shot with air riffle guns. The HOCRU team found riffle bullets in her face and one lodged in one of her eyes, which led to her partial blindness. Nevertheless this beautiful Sumatran orangutan was healthy enough to be directly released into the Leuser Ecosystem on the very same day.

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She has been given a second chance to live free in the forest, where she belongs.

HOCRU evacuated or confiscated 28 isolated or illegally kept orangutans in 2016. These front line conservation teams are working around the clock to protect orangutans.

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