Category Archives: Samboja Lestari

The second part of our adventure starts.

After six years we are finally back in Samboja Lestari to work for the Orangutans and sunbears.

Review of the Samboja Lestari Orangutan project

The work at this project can be hard; you will get dirty and sweaty, you will have ants crawling on you and you will worry about mosquitos – but when you come back to the lodge in the evening you will be proud and happy.

Volunteering with Orangutans

Some pointers on how we got to volunteer for BOS on Borneo.

What are we doing to these animals?

At Samboja Lestari we are working with orangutans and sun bears, that are kept here because they need help after humans had caused them harm in various ways.

The moat

The orangutan islands are surrounded by a moat, which needs to be cleared of plants ever so often. This was just one of the jobs the volunteers were tasked with.

Meet the sunbears

The sanctuary is also home to a number of sun bears. Like the orangutans they need some "entertainment" in form of enrichment to keep them stimulated. It's not always easy for them to get to the food hidden in the enrichment, but frustration is a better emotion than boredom.

Job title: Orangutan Entertainer

Our first working day at the Samboja Lestari Orangutan Sanctuary was spent on "enrichment" for the great apes. Tired but happy we are back in our room after a very sweaty day.

Samboja Lestari

We made it to Samboja Lestari and will hopefully be able to do some great stuff to make the Orangutans happy.