Matang has one less resident after we felt the effects of being situated within the rainforests of Borneo. A 13 foot reticulated python found its way into the pigtail macaque enclosure on the animal trail and found within a rather tempting meal. It's very likely that this snake, a protected species, is one of the very animals that Matang Wildlife Centre had released into the national park before.



It seemed strange that the python was able to catch the monkey, as if the monkey had stayed at the top of its cage it would not have been in reach. However, the python was presenting lacerations to its back, suggesting that the monkey attacked the snake and unfortunately then found itself in range of the snake's jaws. The python was discovered during morning husbandry - a keeper went to feed the macaque, and instead found a rather large snake in the cage. Thin enough to enter the cage initially, after consuming the monkey the python found itself too large to fit back through the bars and became captive as a consequence.



Keepers here were able to catch the snake with little problem. Its energies were obviously mostly devoted to digesting the huge meal. The python was relocated to an adjacent forested area and released. While it was obviously a shame for the monkey, it was a great opportunity to see nature in action, and a stark reminder that we do indeed work in a jungle!

Labels: husbandry, jungle, kubah national park, matang, matang wildlife centre, python, sarawak

Chiam has long been a favourite of volunteers and keepers alike at Matang. She is a highly intelligent orangutan, and has fascinated many on onlooker with her swift and accurate construction of tools out of mere scraps of rope and left over food items. Chiam's presence at the centre was bitter sweet - it was a joy to observe her and a privilege to get to know her, but she has long been ready for life in the jungle.

Part of the centre's captive breeding program; Chiam gave birth to George's son in February 09. Her infant developed quickly, and Chiam's stress-free approach to motherhood quickly fostered an ambitious and independent son. At just two months of age he was already exploring his cage in absense of his mother and flexing his young climbing muscles on the bars.

In May 09, the decision was made to release Chiam. Her infant had developed extremely well and it was more than clear that Chiam is a competent mother. At the begining of June, Chiam was released into Kubah.

Though it had been hoped to release Chiam, George and Ghanti together, it made good sense to release Chiam earlier. With Mamu being in the rainforest, it is a good step to have a competent adult join her in the environment, so should Mamu have any difficulty in food location or nest building, Chiam can watch over her and offer assistance. Though Ghanti herself would not struggle in the jungle, she is being kept at Matang for the near future so that staff here may keep a closer eye on her infant and ensure its healthy development. He is currently developing well, but Ghanti does not have the carefree confidence in motherhood that Chiam displayed, not surprising since for Chiam, she had done it all before.

As a dominant male, George would not be safe to be released too close to the centre. Therefore, we will still build a release site for him futher into Kubah, which is the task of July 09 volunteers. Over the next few months, keepers will slowly move Chiam through the jungle to this new site, so when it is time to release George and Ghanti, Chiam will be centred on this area also. This will then become the primary feeding area for the 3 adult orangutan, plus the two babies.

Our immense gratitude goes out to all volunteers, past, present and future. For many of those past, you worked tirelessly at the centre and dedicated your money to it for the future when the orangutan you got to know so well would be in a position to be released. Many of you never saw an orangutan in the jungle at Matang, and indeed it has taken many years for us to begin to realise the release plans. Whether you were building a feeding platform for the orangutan, or building a deer enclosure at the centre, it is all of these efforts combined that have brought Matang up to a standard where release of orangutan is not just feasible, but is now happening. We cannot thank you enough and hope that when we collect the first few photos of Chiam in the jungle with her baby you will all consider it your success as well

Labels: borneo orangutan, chiam, jungle, kubah national park, mamu, matang, rainforest

Mamu, the daughter of Chiam and Aman, was born at the centre in 2004. She spent her first couple of years in the trees with her mum, but it became clear that Chiam was struggling to provide for both herself and her infant while roaming the forest, so mother and child were brought back to the centre, separated, and provided with lots of nutrition. Since that point, Chiam has given birth to a second baby and Mamu has been continuing jungle training under the careful supervision of our orangutan rehabilitation officers, Hilary Kidding and Eddie Indriss.

She began with day trips into the jungle, where she was quickly mixed with Ting San, another orangutan of similar age who was far less competent in the trees. Mamu proved good inspiration for Ting San, who has come on leaps and bounds in her jungle training. These two orangutan often spent nights out in the jungle too, though Ting San was far less keen on this experience than Mamu. Occasionally, where simple day trips were planned, Mamu would decide to remain out in the jungle over night, meaning her keepers regularly spent unscheduled nights in the forest close to her.



Since November 08, Mamu and Ting San have been spending one week a month at the Piers Mott ranger station, built by volunteers in Kubah National Park, about a 2km trek from the centre. Keepers have been able to stay in (relative) comfort in this building, while the orangutan explore the surrounding jungle both day and night, being fed at the neighboring feeding platform built by volunteers in October 08.

This year, Mamu has been showing increasing reluctance to return to the centre at the end of her periods of training. Mamu has certainly been ready for release for a number of months - she was being held back to fulfill a role of teacher for both Ting San and Doris, who is widely lacking in knowledge of jungle survival. However, Mamu obviously tired of this role, and after one week at the ranger station in April, decided that she would be happier to remain in the jungle. This site had been prepared for exactly this purpose, so it seemed as good a time as any to leave her out.



Both keepers and volunteers have been making daily excursions to the feeding platform by the ranger station to ensure Mamu will always be able to feed, should she not be able to find enough food in the trees. She is certainly missed at the centre, by none more than Doris who had formed a very close relationship with her. However for us, though it is strange not to see her on a daily basis, the knowledge that she is brachiating through the rainforest by day, foraging for natural foods and nesting in the treetops at dusk, more than compensates for her absence. Indeed, it is exactly what we have been working so hard to achieve, and the release of one makes us all the more determined to give her some company in Kubah.

Labels: aman, borneo orangutan, great orangutan project, kubah national park, matang, orangutan, orangutan mother, orangutan release, Orangutans and Rehabilitation