Second Malaysian island sanctuary for orang utans

S. Ista Kyra New Straits Times 28 Sep 10;

BUKIT MERAH: In an effort to help orang utans to roam freely in the forests of Peninsular Malaysia, steps are being taken by the Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island Foundation (BMOUIF) to open its second island sanctuary for the primates.

The endangered species, which once roamed freely throughout Southeast Asia, are now only found out of captivity on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra and their numbers are dwindling as their natural habitats encounter extensive destruction.

The foundation's board of trustees chairman, Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar, said a proposal was under way to study the feasibility of the primates' survival in the wild.

He noted that under the proposal, two primates from the first sanctuary, would be transferred to a nearby 5.6ha island, known as B.J. Island where they were expected to procreate under minimal human contact and assistance.

"If the offspring of the pair manage to survive and fend for themselves without human intervention, then the idea of them being released to our jungles would become a possibility," he said at a discussion seminar between BMOUIF and a panel of advisers at Bukit Merah Laketown Resort, here, yesterday.

"After 10 years of establishing the first sanctuary, we have found that orang utans can indeed survive in the the jungles of peninsula.

"The fact that the island now has 26 primates, compared with only three when we first started is proof that they can breed in peninsula forests. That is why our next step is to learn if these animals can be left to live naturally in the wild," he added.

A pair of dominant male and female orang utans would be introduced to B.J. Island in five months time and a study would be conducted by a team led by Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University's Assistant Professor Dr Misato Hayashi.

"Tourists will not be allowed to approach the primates on the new island, and except for the scientists and researchers, who need to collect data and observe their behaviour, they will be left pretty much alone."

However, he said, the first island sanctuary, at the resort which is the only one of its kind in the world, would continue to serve as a tourist attraction and led by BMOUIF's veterinary service senior manager, Dr D. Sabapathy.

Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk James Dawos Mamit, who also attended the discussion seminar and toured the island, said the new island would be a suitable transit place for the orang utans to get used to living independently. He also pointed out that more conservation efforts should be introduced to ensure the survival of orang utans.

James said he was looking for ways to introduce orang utans in locations near Kuala Lumpur to serve as a tourist attraction.