Feeding platform (9 days)

8pm we got to the clinic to get a bag of fruit each to take to the platform or sometimes an Orangutan that had wondered back to the clinic. After a 15 minute trek (30 while trying to get an Orangutan to follow) we would arrive at 'platform 4'.

This platform is where the Orangs are introduced once they have been through quarantine and jungle gym. We fed the Orangs making sure everyone got their fair share. If we didn't give someone enough food they would turn up at the tourist platform and cause havoc.

After everyone has been fed we would head to the tourist platform to answer questions from the tourists and protect the Orangs if they did decide to come close to the tourists.

It is important that the tourists don't touch the Orangs as not only do they bite but they can also catch a lot of diseases that human can catch. So if an Orang does get picked up by a tourist it has to be quarantined.

We would wait until the all the tourists have left then fight off the Macaques before heading back to the rest house for Lunch.

The afternoon started at 2pm. We would head straight to the tourist platform for more questions and more Orangutan protection! It would be much easier if the tourists weren't there.

Some funny things over heard from the tourists:

Young boy says to older boys…
"Orangutans aren't dangerous you know… but they will steal stuff off you… And they wreck your house!"

There is one Orangutan on the feeding platform. Old lady says to friend…
"Do you think they only let them out 1 at a time?"

Over the 9 days we had many things happen. Sometime it got very stressful and other times it was a little boring. One very stressful day 5 Orangs from platform 4 turned up at the tourist platform. The three of us managed to stop 4 of them away from the platform until a ranger came and took 3 back to platform 4 (one made a run for it as the ranger arrived). The 5th orang managed to get to the walkway… Sadly a tourist tried to get to close and therefore got bitten…

One other stressful day was meeting CID at platform 4. He is a massive wild Male with large cheek bones. Very powerful… The research assistants where very good though and kept him at a safe distant.

Overall we have really enjoyed this area of work and although at times it felt like we were thrown in at the deep end (having to answer the tourist questions) I reckon this will be one of my favourite areas.

Next up jungle trekking…