{"id":11363,"date":"2022-09-20T23:54:36","date_gmt":"2022-09-21T06:54:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orangutan.com\/?page_id=11363"},"modified":"2025-01-10T01:11:06","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T09:11:06","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/orangutan.com\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Our Mission<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Orangutan Conservancy (OC) is dedicated to the protection of orangutans in their natural habitat through wild research, capacity building, education and public awareness programs, and by supporting numerous on-the-ground efforts to save Southeast Asia’s only great ape.\u00a0\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\tStrategy<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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  • Providing funding and logistical support to a variety of orangutan protection programs<\/li>
  • Providing funding to various wildlife research programs in Indonesia that support and coordinate orangutan conservation<\/li>
  • Staging the annual OC\/OVAG Veterinary Workshop in Indonesia where orangutan wildlife vets share their knowledge<\/li>
  • Providing emergency funding to help protect critical habitats of the orangutan, including efforts to control forest fires where important populations exist or supporting other emergency activities<\/li>
  • Improving public awareness of the plight of the orangutan and their habitats on Borneo and Sumatra<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Image Courtesy of Orangutan Kutai Project<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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    Image Courtesy of Ian Singleton<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\t\tPurpose<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tToday it is estimated that 27,000 species are extinguished every year in the world\u2019s rainforests \u2013 or 74 species a day. Orangutans are found only in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. The population of wild orangutans has declined by more than half in the last 50 years, and approximately 80% of their natural habitat has been lost in the last half century. Current research suggests that there are perhaps only 50,000 \u2013 65,000 left in the wild. The Orangutan Conservancy works to protect orangutans in their natural environment, and if we can help this great ape to survive for the future, many other native species, including plants and insects, will also be here for generations to come. \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\t\tOrangutans are endemic to rainforests on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra in the Indonesian Archipelago.<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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    Early Beginnings<\/h5>
    Dutch microbiologist Dr. Willi Smits establishes the Wanariset Forestry Research Station near Balikpapan on the eastern side of Borneo, Indonesia. Dr. Willi Smits rescues a sickly orangutan named Uce from a market in Balikpapan and nurses her back to health. This event marks the beginning of the Wanariset Orangutan Reintroduction Center, with the mission to save orangutans and their rainforest habitats.<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    Late 1990s<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\n
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    Our Start<\/h5>
    The Orangutan Conservancy began in the late 1990s as a sister organization for the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS-USA). However, we quickly realized that we wanted to exapand our scope and not just assist with one orangutan conservation group but with many. Thus we changed our name to the Orangutan Conservancy to reflect our commitment to any group that needs help with orangutan or forest conservation in the Southeast Asian region.<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    Early 2000s<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\n
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    Organizational Plans<\/h5>
    The Orangutan Conservancy broadens its focus beyond rescue projects to encompass various aspects of orangutan and forest conservation.<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    2007<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\n
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    Our First OVAG Workshop<\/h5>
    In 2009 the first Orangutan Veterinary Advisory Group Workshop took place in Central Kalimantan, Borneo. These workshops were at the\nrequest of vets working in rehabilitation centers who were struggling due to limited resources and\nlimited wildlife medical education. Founded by our president, Dr. Raffaella Commitante and (at the\ntime, zoo vet) Steve Unwin, they conducted the first workshop with 25 people. <\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    2010<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\n
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    Rescued + Released Adoption Program<\/h5>
    The Orangutan Conservancy partners with Sintang Orangutan Center (SOC) to introduce the Rescued and Released Adoption Program. These orangutans have been rescued, rehabilitated, researched, and released by SOC back into the Betung Kerihun National Park in West Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia.<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    2022<\/div>\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t\t
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    1982-1991<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\n
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    The Balikpapan Orangutan Society (BOS), an Indonesian nonprofit, is established to aid in orangutan rescues and conservation efforts.<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    1999<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\n
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    OC Scholarship Program<\/h5>
    As we grew, we wanted to expand our reach not just to organizations but also to the people working\nwith orangutans, and so we a began scholarship program for higher education degrees. One of our\nrecipients completed both his undergrad and graduate degrees with our help! We hope to add more to this list.<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    2005<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\n
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    New OC President<\/h5>
    Dr. Raffaella Commitante becomes the President of The Orangutan Conservancy.<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    2009<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\n
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    Our Wild Adoption Program<\/h5>
    In 2010, our partnership with the Orangutan Kutai Project (OKP), run by OC's very own board member, Anne Russon, began. OKP monitors a field site that runs about 4 km along the south side of the Sangata River, Kutai National Park\u2019s northern boundary, an area that was chosen because censuses showed strong orangutan presence and the need for additional protection there. <\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    2021<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\n
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    O.V.A.G. Workshop Attendee Record<\/h5>
    The O.V.A.G. workshop in 2022 had over 50 people on site and over 65 people online.<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
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    Our Team<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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