OCCQ, Orangutan Care Center and Quarantine, was established in 1998 by Orangutan Foundation International for confiscated orang-utans needing medical care, other care and forest skill preparation for the release into their habitat. It is located in Pasir Panjang village, Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan.
At the moment, 290 orangutans from about six months old to mid-20s are living at the centre. OFI employs about 120 local people and two veterinarians to look after the species that shares 97% of our DNA.
After being rescued, orang-utans will undergo a 30 day quarantine period and receive an extensive health check. Blood, urine and feces are examined for possible diseases the orang-utan carried over from the wild, its previous place or owner. After the quarantine period, orang-utans are placed into the same age groups cage or facilities.
Male and female caretakers become the infant and juvenile orangutans’ substitute mother. In the wild, the mother and infant bond until the child is 5 to 8 years of age. For the infants, mothers are friends, travel companions as well as mentors for learning skills to live in their habitat in the rainforest. The caretakers’ jobs become harder sometimes, because many infants arrive physically, mentally, and/or emotionally wounded. Many also suffer from injuries or trauma from when their mothers were killed.
Daily forest skill training outings to the forest are a critical part of infant and juvenile orangutan life at OCCQ. Orangutans are free to explore, forage, and play in the various forest areas next to the OCCQ under the assistance of their caretakers in relict primary peat-swamp forest. They will learn how to forage and process wild foods, how to make nests in the trees, how to move competently through the branches and canopy, in completing a critical part of their rehabilitation process and learning to live and survive in the wild.
