Thanks to your generous support, Asto and Asih continue to thrive in their journey toward freedom!
Asto (left) and Asih (right) enjoying Jungle School
The rainy season has arrived in Sumatra, bringing with it lush greenery and plenty of muddy adventures for Asto and Asih! As part of their continued rehabilitation, both orangutans have been spending even more time in Jungle School, with their daily sessions now extended from four to six hours to a full eight hours. The goal is to help them become more independent, resourceful, and adaptable as they learn the vital skills they’ll one day need to thrive in the wild.
At eight years old, Asto has grown into a calm and gentle orangutan who loves spending her days high in the trees. As soon as she arrives at Jungle School each morning, she wastes no time climbing up the nearest trunk and moving gracefully from branch to branch in search of food. Rarely seen on the ground, Asto builds strong nests, forages confidently for forest fruits, and continues to show impressive independence. Once fond of human company, she now prefers to explore quietly on her own- a wonderful sign that she’s preparing for a wild future.
Asto exploring high in the canopy
Meanwhile, six-year-old Asih remains the cheeky spark of the pair! While Asto rules the canopy, Asih loves the forest floor—playing with leaves and sticks, making ground nests, and constantly dreaming up clever new escape plans. Whether she’s testing the electric fence or exploring the drainage ditch, her creativity knows no bounds. She’s healthy, playful, and full of curiosity, though she still shows a little fear of certain keepers.
Cheeky little Asih examining a seed on her lips
When it comes to mealtime, Asto and Asih are always eager to explore new tastes and textures! Both orangutans enjoy a wide variety of forest foods, foraging on natural treats such as fig, ganitri, asam paya and soapbush fruits, as well as varied leaves and flowers. These diverse foods not only keep their diets healthy and balanced but also help them develop the vital foraging skills they’ll need to survive in the wild.
Their enthusiasm doesn’t stop there- the girls both love the enrichment activities designed by their carers to keep them active and curious. Some of their favourite treats include coconuts, cempedak (a fruit similar to jackfruit), banana stems, sunflower seeds, and enrichment toys coated with honey or peanut butter. They also love interactive items like Kong toys, hollow pipes, and stuffed fire hoses, which challenge them to use their intelligence and dexterity to retrieve tasty rewards.
Healthy and thriving, Asih now weighs 17 kg and Asto 21 kg, both growing strong and fit as they continue developing the skills and independence, they’ll need for their future release into the wild.
Though different in temperament, Asto and Asih share a strong friendship. They often forage side by side, play together in the afternoons, and rest in the trees when the day grows long. Recently, they were quite confused when their keepers didn’t come to collect them at the usual time since Jungle School now runs longer. However, they quickly adjusted, settling back to play and explore on their own.
Both orangutans are healthy, active, and making wonderful progress. Thank you for helping Asto and Asih on their rehabilitation journey. Your compassion and ongoing support give them the chance to learn, grow, and one day live freely in the wild where they belong.
