20/03/2023
Taymur donation update
The drama over food and enrichment competition that disrupted the peace in the socialisation complex a few months back ended soon after Junior was separated from the group.
However, it seems that the impact from the drama is still quite noticeable, as there seems to be some distrust amongst the orangutans in the complex. This is especially obvious with Taymur, who was Junior's main target.
Taymur became reluctant to socialise with other orangutans. Even when Lanting approached him and invited him to wrestle, Taymur would not budge and did everything to avoid him. Similarly, during the distribution of enrichment and food, Taymur would not move from his place to take them.
In the wild, orangutans are mostly solitary animals who typically travel and find food on their own. However, during rehabilitation, spending time with other orangutans can provide many benefits, such as the ability to exchange skills.
Technicians who noticed this change of behaviour in Taymur quickly looked for a solution: They ended up giving enrichment and food directly to him. However, they were not successful, as Taymur would only sniff the food or enrichment, play with it for a bit, then ignore it. He preferred instead to play in the blue barrel or dangle alone on the tyre ropes.
Our veterinary team moved quickly and placed Taymur in an individual enclosure close to the clinic, hoping that he would regain his confidence. Funnily enough, when the veterinary team came to his complex, Taymur immediately climbed down from the tyre rope and approached them, as though glad to be leaving. As soon as the team opened the complex door, Taymur came out, as if he knew they had come to collect him!
Despite his new enclosure being smaller, Taymur is now more active and energetic. He eats fruit and engages with the enrichment items offered to him. Our veterinary team and technicians are now working on helping Taymur regain his confidence, so he is able to compete with other males.
You can do it, Taymur!
Source: https://www.orangutan.or.id/taymur-loses-his-confidence
