After 23 Years in an Isolated Enclosure, Orangutan Finally Gets to Play With Others of His Kind (VIDEO)

Papa, a 28-year-old orangutan known to all as the “gentle giant,” has lived at the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation since 1994 when, at the age of five, he arrived at the rehabilitation center from Taiwan. Unfortunately, he was soon diagnosed with Hepatitis B – a contagious virus transmittable among both orangutans and humans. This sad news meant that Papa could not join Forest School with other young orangutans. At the time, animals tested positive for the virus were separated from others to prevent transmission, but then everything changed for Papa thanks to the news brought by recent medical studies.

It was discovered that the strand of Hepatitis B found in orangutans, in fact, occurs naturally in the wild and is not dangerous. This incredible discovery meant that animals like Papa could taste freedom outside of their quarantine enclosures.

For the first time in 23 years, Papa is now experiencing the beautiful outside world! His life changed completely when the sanctuary team moved him to a pre-release area. He can now bond with other orangutans and is exploring a whole new world – and, even though it is not yet certain if he will be able to develop skills necessary for survival in the wild, his caretakers refuse to give up on Papa’s chance for freedom. Hopefully, one day that freedom will be the entirely of his life.

To learn more about the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, click here.

Image source: Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation