Little Cory came from a palm oil plantation not far from one of OFI’s protected forests. With her pursed lips and big, surprised looking eyes, it is hard not to melt when you see her. Since she came into OFI’s care, Cory has transformed into a healthy and curious infant. Cory often tests her climbing skills by trying to climb into her friend Bayat’s sleeping basket. This independence and mobility are wonderful traits for such a young orangutan.

Uttuh was skinny and nearly hairless when she first arrived in OFI’s care. Since her arrival, a healthy diet and lots of love have seen her blossom into a graceful and caring infant. She shows tenderness to the younger infants in the way she encourages them to climb with her, gently pulling their hands and coaxing them from the forest floor and up into the trees. But, Uttuh has a more rambunctious side as well. She loves to pick on the boy orangutans for wrestling matches. Even when they have decided they are done playing, she continues to chase them through the trees!

Bayat came into OFI’s care when she was only a few months old. Still a baby today, she relies heavily on the love and care of her caregivers. With her long, lush orange hair and quirky personality, Bayat is an incredibly endearing orangutan. On hot days, she loves to be fanned by her caregivers. When they do this, she will stand up and stretch out her arms, almost as if she is trying to catch the wind. Although Bayat is a bit hesitant in forest school, she will climb under the watchful eyes of her caregivers.

Mr. Bernie’s striking eyes make him stand out, and are a true testament to his beautiful and mischievous personality. When Mr. Bernie walks about the forest floor, his eyes shift from side to side as if he is on a devious, top-secret mission. He has quite the sneaky side, sometimes swinging down from the trees, surprising an unsuspecting caregiver into a playful wrestling match. Mr. Bernie is happy to explore and forage in the trees, but sometimes he likes to stay close to his caregivers and climb on the playground. Wherever he is, Mr. Bernie is happiest when he is swinging.

Mason came into OFI’s care after losing his mother. Recovering from this trauma has been a struggle for him. For a long time, Mason was totally dependent upon his caregivers. Although he still likes to sit in their presence during trips to the forest, his development has been slowly progressing. He has formed a friendship with his roommate Turbo, who has had similar difficulties maintaining his health and interacting with others. The two often wrestle together and are becoming more comfortable playing with others. In fact, Mason is becoming more assertive in play, and always seems to find a way to come out on top.

George Baru was a tiny infant when he first arrived at OFI’s Care Center. Since his arrival, he has become increasingly independent and lively. Although he spends time climbing alone, George Baru prefers to be in the company of his friends. While he loves to spend time with his orangutan friends, George Baru still shows a lot of affection to his caregivers. He particularly loves to be cuddled and tickled.

Malcolm is quickly turning into a very independent and skillful orangutan. After some years of practice, Malcolm has become a real forest acrobat and there is not a tree left in the Care Center forest that Malcolm hasn’t yet conquered. Being high up in the forest canopy, Malcolm can often be seen attempting to build nests. Although his effort is not quite perfect yet, it’s a clear sign that Malcolm is well on his way to making it back to the wild.

Losing her mother as an infant, Lola had a difficult start in the world. However, her emotional strength has not stopped growing since she came into OFI’s care. When she goes out on daily forest release, she tends to keep to herself high in the trees. She will spend hours here, foraging or just sitting and peacefully surveying her surroundings. Sometimes the only way to spot Lola is by the twigs and bits of fruit that fall from the canopy. While she displays many of the typical characteristics of a solitary adult orangutan, Lola is still playful and carefree. She enjoys the forest so much that she is always reluctant to return to her sleeping enclosure. Sometimes she will stay in the forest for hours after all the other orangutan orphans have returned.

Krista’s arrival at OFI’s Care Center is unique – she was born there. Sadly, Krista’s mother rejected her shortly after birth. Ever since, Krista has been raised among other orangutans similar in age. She has a beautiful, benign face that can make you turn your head and an equally captivating personality. When she is taken out for daily forest releases, Krista prefers walking with two caregivers. She takes both by the hand, dangles from their arms, and sticks both of her legs straight out, scuffing them lightly over the forest trail. Her caregivers jokingly refer to this behavior as “skiing.” Krista’s charming personality and story make her a very unique orangutan.

Lanang was brought to Dr. Galdikas’ home in Borneo by Indonesian forestry officials. Although he had recently been taken from his mother, Lanang quickly adapted to life at the Care Center. Today, Lanang is entering his adolescent years. Although he is small for his age, he is very strong and is becoming increasingly outgoing and adventurous in the forest. Although Lanang is cautious of other orangutans, he has been known to follow larger male orangutans, trying hard to keep up. He closely observes their forestry skills, which has helped him develop his own skills.

An independent, whimsical, and intelligent orangutan, Faisal’s cleverness shines through in the way he seems to understand and respond to his caregivers’ speech – a capacity few orangutans show to the same degree. When the caregivers call his name, Faisal turns around to make eye contact, making little squeaking sounds in response. He may change his direction of travel based on the urging of a caregiver. But for the most part, Faisal has his own agenda in the forest. He moves quickly over great distances, usually on the forest floor, only stopping every now and then to pick gingerly through a bit of mud, tear open a termite nest with his teeth, wrestle with a friend, or splash around in a puddle of water.

Since she came into OFI’s care, Irvine has displayed independence and strong forestry skills. Even though she was only an infant when she arrived, Irvine was already a skilled climber who could build sleeping nests (skills that are uncommon in infant orangutans). Watching Irvine today, it is easy to forget that she is not a wild orangutan. When she goes out on her daily trips to the forest, Irvine does not linger with the others, choosing to go off and explore on her own.

Yoris arrived at OFI’s Care Center after losing his mother. As a baby, he spent his nights sleeping in a basket at his caregiver’s side. When he was first taken out to explore the forest, he was too frightened to climb on his own. Instead, he clung to a tree with one hand and to his caregiver with the other. Today, Yoris’ days of hesitancy are long gone. When he starts the walk out to the forest every morning, he moves with a burly, determined strut and as soon as he arrives in the forest, he takes to the trees.

Karbank was only a few years old when police officers found him being kept illegally as a pet. He was confiscated and brought to OFI’s Care Center. Although he was small and frightened when he arrived, he adjusted to life at the Care Center with lots of love and attention. During his daily forest outings, Karbank will start off by staying close to his orangutan peers. However, once he has spent some time in the forest he gets a burst of bravery and will sneak off on his own, reveling in his freedom.

Lear is a healthy and feisty juvenile orangutan who has not lost an ounce of his youthful playfulness. His exuberance is contagious. During daily releases he spends most of his time in the company of his best friend Morgan. Caregivers always provide them with burlap sacks. The two boisterous friends love throwing the sacks over their heads and rolling around their forest jungle gym, chasing each other, and trying to steal the other’s sack. When Lear needs respite from these shenanigans, he will sit in the company of his caregivers. Similar to the infants, he still likes to sit in the caregivers’ laps, staring into their eyes, and playfully throwing his hands on their shoulders.