The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) announced that a rare albino orangutan has returned to the wild. As BBC understood, the unusual primate slowly exited her cage and took in her new surroundings, moving cautiously.
After releasing in wild, Alba has realised that humans were present, she quickly moved away into the forest and climbed up a tree. According to the wildlife experts, it is pretty naturally for the primate who used to live in the cage during several months of rehabilitation. It is with to note, that Alba is planet’s only recorded albino orangutan has been returned into the wild in Borneo.
Alba got her name thanks to the lacks the pigment melanin in her hair and skin. The unusual blue-eyed animal was named after the Latin word for “white” following a naming competition by the BOSF. The experts say Alba moved by using her arms to swing from branch to branch for a while, showing us her familiarity with a wild environment.
BOSF said: “She finally stopped to rest on a large branch, high up in the forest canopy. This was just the beginning of Alba’s adventures to come in this true, wild forest!” they added.
Alba is very vulnerable to diseases and predators
Alba’s albinism had to be taken into account in her rehabilitation strategy, her health complications make her vulnerable. Alba’s poor eyesight, hearing and susceptibility to skin cancer are real challenges for living in the wild. Moreover, the unusual white orangutan is the perfect target to predators.
Thanks to the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rehabilitation Center, Alba recovered and thrived in her climbing and socialisation skills. The ape also formed a special bond with Kika, another rescued female orangutan. last week, a team from the rehabilitation centre took Alba and Kika on a challenging journey through the forest, including a four-hour boat ride, to reach a suitable release location.
