Archived Media Release
1 November 2006
Australian born orang-utan to swing back into Indonesian national park
The Australian Ambassador, Mr Bill Farmer and the Indonesian Minister for Forestry, Mr Kaban today welcomed the arrival from Australia of a 14-year old Sumatran orang-utan named Temara.
Temara, who was born and raised in Perth Zoo, Western Australia will be returned to the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park in eastern Sumatra as part of an international effort to re-establish a population of the critically endangered animals to the wild.
“The return of this species to its native country is an initiative of the Indonesian and the Western Australian governments. Many Australian and Indonesian professionals have worked hard to bring this project to fruition. It illustrates the breadth, depth and richness of the Indonesian-Australian bilateral relationship”, the Australian Ambassador, Mr Bill Farmer said.
The Ambassador noted that Temara would be carefully monitored and supported by a team of veterinarians and zoo keepers who would track her progress following her release.
The Ambassador thanked the Indonesian government for its support of the project and noted that the high level of protection at the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park had been an important consideration when Perth Zoo decided to become involved. “Bukit Tigapuluh is an extremely important area of land guarded by specially trained anti-logging and anti-poaching Orang-utan Protection Units,” he said.
The Ambassador also thanked Perth Zoo, the Sumatran Orang-utan Conservation Programme, the Frankfurt Zoological Society and the Australian Orang-utan Project for their part in the project.
Photo editors: Please note, digital professional photographs of the event are available on request.
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