Kota Kinabalu – Desperate times calls for desperate measures. Wild orang-utans spend 90% of their time on treetops, and very rarely descend to the ground, unless disaster strikes.
A WWF-Malaysia field staff in Lower Segama recorded this series of photographs illustrating the rescue of a wild orang-utan mother and her baby who had been hanging on to a laran tree for a week due to flood in the area. A unit from the Sabah Wildlife Department was rushed to the site and a rope bridge was immediately set up about four metres from the shore.
The orang-utan mother grabbed the rope bridge as soon as the rope bridge was thrown across to her direction.
She began her descent from the tree while still holding onto the rope. Her baby was seen to be tightly clinging onto her.
The mother made sure heads were above water while she swam across. At the shore, the orang-utans fed for about 30 minutes before heading back into the forests.Previous documentation had stated orang-utans to be non-swimmers, supposedly due to their fear of water. However, this new discovery shows that orang-utans are actually able to swim in desperate situations, with the help of a tool.
Last month, Sabah received a high record of rainfall which undoubtedly affected the wildlife in some lowland areas. Like this orang-utan, some were able to save themselves to higher ground. Floods caused by excessive rainfall are likely to intensify under future climate change scenarios. But how many can escape in the future?
Adapted from WWF Malaysia
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