KUCHING: A leading orang-utan conservationist stated yesterday that Sarawak has done a great job protecting the orang-utan population, countering negative criticisms hurled at the state by foreign environmental groups.
Indonesia-based Dr Bruite Mary Galdikas, regarded as the world’s foremost authority on the orang-utan, said she was impressed with Sarawak’s progress thus far.
“The government of Sarawak is doing a very good job in protecting the orang-utan … when I was last here in 1998, the Chief Minister had created a reserve specifically for orang-utans. As you know, orang-utans are difficult to conserve because they need large areas and they are deep forest animals.
“I’m very impressed by what I’ve seen here. There are other issues but I will not want to talk about that,” she told reporters after visiting the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, which houses 24 orang-utans.
The Canadian-born Galdikas, together with her American collaborator Irene Spencer, were in Sarawak to identify sites in the state for the proposed joint tour programme that will enable visitors to see orang-utans in Sarawak, Sabah and the Indonesian province of Kalimantan Tengah.
They also visited Lanjak-Entimau in Batang Ai and the Matang Wildlife Centre on Tuesday.
According to Galdkas, the joint tour programme, which is expected to commence next year, will create greater global awareness on the protection and conservation of the orang-utan.
A primatologist by training and now regarded as an educator on orang-utan, Galdikas has spent 38 years raising public awareness on the protection of the orang-utan, particularly from Camp Leakey, Kalimantan Tengah, which is currently rehabilitating 330 orang-utans.
She rose to fame when Hollywood actress Julia Roberts did a special documentary on her work many years ago.
Continue reading (incl. pic) at: Sarawak protects orang-utans: Conservationist
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