WHAT
IS THE REHABILITATION
PROCESS?
Admission
The
rehabilitation process starts right after an orangutan has been
admitted to the centre. The majority of animals arriving at Sepilok have
been taken from people keeping them (illegally) in captivity, often
after having taken them away from their mothers, while still babies, to
become household pets. Others include adults that have sustained injury
or sickness and require medical treatment before being returned to the
wild.

Quarantine
All animals
are given a thorough general health examination shortly after arrival.
This is followed by a quarantine period of 3-6 months to eliminate the
possibility of them passing diseases to other orangutans. Through all
phases of the rehabilitation process, the clinic offers assistance
with any health problems that animals may encounter. The medical
check-up comprises of tests for TB and Malaria, urine analysis,
bacteriology and chestX-ray. After quarantine, the orangutan will be
assessed as to whether it should undergo the whole programme or
deliberately start from the second or third stage.

Nursery
During
the first year of their fives, young orangutan learn all the skills
necessary for survival from their mothers. Captive orangutans, deprived
of their mothers, are unable to find food, build nests, or even climb
properly. It is these skills which wildlife rangers encourage the
rehabilitants to develop. The "NURSERY" phase is where young
orangutans (1 - 3 years) undergo a period of "preschool ''
training to give them skills essential to life in the jungle, such as
the ability to climb trees and explore the use of their limbs.
Platform
A (Outward Bound School)
For
those which are ready for it, there is then a period of 'Outward Bound
School' where their dependence on the food and emotional support given
by the rehabilitation centre is gradually reduced. Here, orangutans
are given increasing freedom and at the same time encouraged to learn
to fend for themselves. At platform A, their natural forest diet is
supplemented with milk, added minerals and vitamins, and fruits twice a
day.
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Platform B
(Survival
Training)
Finally,
when an orangutan has totally adjusted itself in the forest and shows
signs of independence, it is gradually moved to the last phase of
survival training. Here, even less food is offered, further away
from the Centre, at platform B. Here most animals eventually achieve
total independence and become inter-grated into Sepilok's wild orangutan
population. Since the Centre was established. more than 100 orangutans
have been successfully released.
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