After a long absence, one of the dominant male orangutans, Hamzah, has finally been spotted again near Camp Lesik in Kehje Sewen Forest. Our Post-Release Monitoring (PRM) team was stunned by Hamzah's appearance, as the last time he was seen was in 2022. At that time, Hamzah had “interrupted” an orangutan party of Sayang and her offspring Padma, as well as Teresa and her offspring Berani. However, this recent sighting was much calmer.

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Hamzah: The Journey of a Dominant Male

Hamzah is a male orangutan who was released into Kehje Sewen Forest in 2012. Since then, he has grown into one of the dominant males in these area. Despite his status as a dominant orangutan, Hamzah’s movements are rarely observed, adding to his mysterious aura. This is why his reappearance near Camp Lesik was such a important moment for our team.

Initially, our PRM team, who were carrying out activities at Camp Lesik, spotted a large brown-furred figure. Mang Usup, one of our senior team members, quickly recognized the orangutan as Hamzah. Fortunately, Hamzah did not display any aggression. He was simply observing the camp from a distance, seemingly curious about the team’s activities. Without hesitation, our team decided to conduct an observation for two and a half hours to document his behaviour.

Grace Behind His Massive Posture

After watching Camp Lesik for a while, Hamzah seemed unbothered by the presence of our PRM team. He calmly made his way toward the surrounding trees to feed. During the observation, Hamzah was seen enjoying the tender young leaves of the Shorea sp. tree.

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What amazed our team even more was Hamzah’s agility. Despite his huge body size, he moved nimbly from one tree to another. For some PRM team members who had never seen an orangutan as large as Hamzah, this was a truly awe-inspiring moment. They never imagined that an orangutan of Hamzah’s stature could move so gracefully and swiftly through the treetops.

A Key Figure in the Kehje Sewen Ecosystem

Hamzah’s reappearance is a strong indicator of the high survival rate of rehabilitated orangutans after being released back into the wild. Even 12 years after his release, Hamzah has thrived and become a dominant figure, reigning over the northern part of Kehje Sewen Forest. As one of the dominant males, Hamzah’s presence signifies a healthy and functioning ecosystem. The forest provides food, shelter, and sufficient roaming space for orangutans to thrive and reproduce naturally.

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Hamzah’s calm and confident return brings renewed hope and motivation to our conservation efforts. Amid the challenges of protecting orangutans’ natural habitat, this moment serves as a symbol of the success of release programs and forest protection initiatives. It gives us optimism that Hamzah and other orangutans will continue to live freely and safely in Kehje Sewen Forest.

Text by: Biodiversity-PRM Team, PT. RHOI at Kehje Sewen Forest, East Kalimantan