Male Orangutan calls loudly across the jungle. As we sailed along the Sekonyer River in Tanjung Puting National Park (Indonesian Borneo) we spotted a male Orangutan high in the trees along the river bank. It was scratching itself and eating fruits. It the disappeared off in the jungle. Once out of sight it started the most remarkable calling. A mating call as well as a warning to other males that this was his territory. I kept the camera running to record these calls even though the Orangutan was not visible. Still images of the male Orangutan from Jenny Varley (website: jennymvarley.co.uk) have been inserted into the film. A remarkable encounter.
Tanjung Puting National Park is a major centre for the conservation of these highly intelligent yet critically endangered great apes. Threats to their existence are many with habitat loss being a crucial factor. Seeing these truly remarkable animals in the wild was a real privilege. Let’s hope that conservation efforts mean that these magnificent great apes will be with us for generations to come.