Baby Orangutan Who Was Locked in a Chicken Cage is One Step Closer to True Freedom (PHOTOS)

You probably remember the viral story of Budi the orangutan. Let’s be honest, there is no way you’d forget this sweetheart. He was rescued by International Animal Rescue (IAR) from a chicken cage in Borneo. He had been kept as a pet for the first few months of his life and fed only condensed milk, which caused him to be extremely malnourished and in desperate need of care.

Budi’s journey to recovery has been a long one and here at One Green Planet, we’ll openly admit we’ve been obsessed with following his story. We loved seeing Budi make new friends, we openly “aww’d!” watching the video of him eating pureed food, and we cheered little Budi on when he started his first day of orangutan baby school.

That’s right, Budi went to orangutan school! And now we have happy news to report on his progress…

After two years of rehabilitation at IAR’s Orangutan Conservation Centre in Ketapang, Budi graduated from Baby School and has moved up to Forest School! 

This is wonderful news! Infant orangutans at the center must display specific behaviors and a certain level of independence before moving on to Forest School, with the eventual goal of being released back into the wild. Budi passed Baby School with flying colors! 

“It is so encouraging to see an orangutan that was literally at death’s door when we found him now looking so healthy and strong and really enjoying life. It is all credit to our team in Ketapang that Budi is doing so well and all thanks to the many people around the world who made donations towards his treatment and care,” said IAR CEO, Alan Knight. Way to go, Budi! 

The young orangutans in Baby School are kept under close observation. IAR first knew Budi was a star pupil and would soon be ready for Forest school when he refused to leave the forest and return to his night den at the end of the day. He was allowed to stay out overnight and sleep in the forested enclosure!

“Every time we give Budi enrichment, he gets really excited about it. He’ll forget everything but the enrichment. He is also not dependent on humans anymore, which means that he is now really confident. He has started building nests by himself and no longer shows any desire to share with his friends. Budi is a real adventurer!” Heribertus Suciadi, a member of IAR’s team in Ketapang said. 

We are so thrilled to see Budi reach this important milestone and are confident there will be many more to come! We’re rooting for you, Budi!

To learn more about International Animal Rescue or to make a donation to help them care for Budi and his friends, click here.

All image source: International Animal Rescue