The Star 24 Jan 11;
KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia is prepared to assist any non-governmental organisations rehabilitate the orang utan in their native environment in Sabah.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said the Government wanted to assist in the rescue and rehabilitation of displaced orang utan currently placed in zoos in Europe and United Kingdom.
He gave an example of an obese orang utan, Oshine, rescued from a private owner and currently being rehabilitated by Monkey World in Dorset United Kingdom.
Until it arrived in Monkey World, the orang utan had never seen another orang utan, Dompok said during a dialogue with Sabah NGOs regarding plantation issues.
“I told them (NGOs) this is one thing (rescuing orang utan) that they may want to do. The Government will give assistance to help them get back the displaced apes,” he said.
Dompok said there was no reason for the orang utan to suffer in the cold north European climate as there was ample space in Sabah’s forests.
Weighing about 100kg, the 13-year-old Oshine was raised by a South African couple who fed him marshmallows and other sweets.
It is now on a strict diet of fruit, yoghurt, lean meat and vegetables as Monkey World tries to reduce Oshine’s weight to between 30kg and 70kg.
They also hoped the primate would learn “how to be an orang utan” by living next to baby orang utan.
Once she loses weight, gets fitter, and understands more about ape behaviour, she would “graduate” into one of two breeding groups where it is hoped that she could start her own family, a news report quoted a Monkey World carer.
