meet our infant orangutan orphans

Name: Jarot
Sex: Male
Weight: 2.3 kg
Arrived at centre: 26 March 2008
Approximate age: born ~ July 2007
Previous History: confiscated from a local villager in Tapanuli Selatan.
Care centre: Batu Mbelin Orangutan Quarantine Centre, North Sumatra

Jarot was confiscated from a local villager in Tapanuli Selatan in March 2008. He almost certainly originates from the Batang Toru forests. Jarot is an interesting case. He is a very young animal, but has clear bumps and dents on his head, suggesting some major fracturing of his skull. It seems one of the plates on his skull is disconnected at one side, meaning that when eating and moving around the plate moves up and down. Consultation with medical experts, however, suggests that this ought not to be a serious problem in the long-term so surgery has been avoided. Aside from this, Jarot’s condition still causes some concern as his appetite and activity are less than might be expected for a similar aged infant in normal good health. However, he is slowly improving each day and we hope he will make a full recovery now that he is in better hands. Despite being so young, Jarot is a confident and independent infant. He likes to play by himself and never cries, even when he is hungry. After some encouragement, he enjoys climbing in trees during his play and exercise periods. He receives milk six times a day and has started eating solid foods including pineapple, banana, orange and soursop. He sleeps inside at night and for his daytime naps. His carer has to stay with him until he falls asleep or he will grip hold of them tightly and not let go.