It’s been 2 months since we’ve taken a trip to Indonesia to see how ISCP- Indonesian Species Conservation Program https://www.facebook.com/iscp.
When we last had a look in, at the beginning of September, there were 6 adorable slow loris being cared for at the rehabilitation centre.
After 3 months of rehabilitation, all 6 were released back into the wild in a conservation forest area in the Dairi district of North Sumatra, in a release coordinated with North Sumatra KSDA Centre, back in October.
Along with the 6 resident slow loris, 12 other protected animals were released. There was a seventh slow loris, songbirds, raptors and a leopard cat. All of which had been rescued from illegal trade in Northern Sumatra. Don’t worry, the leopard cat was released a safe distance from the slow loris!!!
The seventh slow loris was voluntarily handed over by a resident of Medan city. Having kept the slow loris as a pet for 6 months, they read on social media that the slow loris is a protected animal, and it is illegal to keep them as pets. The word is slowly spreading!!!
Following a medical check, this slow loris too was cleared for release.
The areas for release are carefully considered. The availability of suitable habitat for the species and suitable food sources are key considerations but the team must also consider human activity within the area. Only when they consider an area protected from various human activities including poaching and habitat destruction, will it be chosen as a release site.
So for a short while the ISCP Sumatran slow loris rehabilitation enclosure was empty, but not for long…
Shortly after, the ISCP team was contacted by a resident of theTanjung Balai area, wanting to hand over a slow loris to a representative from BKSDA North Sumatra. Later that same day, the team in Aceh was also called to rescue 3 Sumatran slow loris from 2 locations. After a medical and behavioural examination, it was decided that all four would be released in conservation forest areas in Central Aceh.
That’s 11 beautiful little Loris released back into the wilds of Sumatra in the last 2 months, and there’s still more to come. As recently as this week, 2 more slow loris have been handed over to BKSDA and ISCP to be rehabilitated, and later released back into the North Sumatran ecosystem!
-Tod and the Team, Darwin Animal Doctors
In loving memory of our hero, Piggy:
