KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Wildlife Department has safely translocated three male orangutans to a new home after being rescued from a fruit orchard at a village in Kinabatangan, last week.
The department's public relations officer Siti Nur’ain Ampuan Acheh, in a statement, said the orangutans aged 7, 15, and 25 respectively were released into the Kulamba Wildlife Reserve today.
The orangutans were first spotted by villagers from Kampung Sri Ganda on Aug 16.
“They were said to be eating fruits in their (villagers) planted orchards.
“The Department deployed a team of rangers to evaluate the situation and captured the orangutans. A translocation operation was initiated on Aug 21,” said Siti.
She added the operation involved the department’s wildlife rangers and veterinary officer, Dr Nabilla Sarkawi.
She said medical examination was conducted on all three orangutans and they were recorded healthy and fit before being released into the wild.