Saving orangutans with Zoo Atlanta’s (and your!) support

Hey, my name’s Erin, and I’m a member of the Orangutan Care Team here at the Zoo. Today I’m going to tell you about a wonderful organization that Zoo Atlanta helps support! The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) is a leading organization in orangutan conservation. BOSF operates one of the largest orangutan conservation facilities globally: Nyaru Menteng in Indonesia. Here, they house approximately 400 orphaned and displaced orangutans, focusing on the care and rehabilitation of these endangered primates. 

The center has been made famous by the show “Orangutan Jungle School,” which shows the day-to-day life and adventures of those housed at the facility.  The rehabilitation process is crucial for orphaned and injured orangutans, who often lose vital skills needed for survival after being separated from their mothers. Once rescued, the young orangutans enter a structured rehabilitation plan designed to teach them to essential survival skills needed to once more live in the wild.

Infants will spend their early days in “Baby School,” where they receive round-the-clock care and monitoring from the staff. Here, they learn to climb, explore new foods, and socialize with their peers. As they grow stronger and more independent, they progress to “Forest School,” where they learn and practice survival skills such as avoiding predators, finding food and building nests, in a secure forest environment before preparing for reintroduction into the wild. The entire process takes years of dedicated care.

Nyaru Menteng plays an important role in the conservation of orangutans, a species that is critically endangered due to deforestation and the illegal pet trade. By raising awareness, providing rehabilitation, and advocating for sustainable practices, the center strives to create a future where orangutans can thrive in their natural habitats.

The area surrounding Nyaru Menteng has unfortunately become an incredibly popular tourist destination, making the original center unsafe to house orangutans due to the close proximity to humans. In 2024, Zoo Atlanta donated $10,000 to this foundation in efforts to help them build a new center, and this program is one of the 2024-2025 projects supported by our Mabel Dorn Reeder Conservation Endowment Fund. As of March 2025, the new center is up and running and currently housing orangutans! To see some seriously adorable pictures and videos or find out ways you can help this amazing organization, check out their website or social media pages!

(Photo: Lynn Y.)

Erin P.
Orangutan Care Team