Sintang Orangutan Center (SOC) remains committed to carrying out orangutan rehabilitation and release programs as part of its conservation efforts. The goal of this program is to return rescued orangutans to their natural habitat so they can live independently in the wild. Following previous successful releases, SOC, together with the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) of West Kalimantan and the Betung Kerihun and Danau Sentarum National Park Authority (BBTNBKDS), is now preparing two individuals—Artemis and Gieke—as the next release candidates. Both of them are Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii.

Artemis is a 6-year-old female orangutan. She was born at SOC’s rehabilitation center on April 1, 2019, to a mother named Bablu. Artemis has distinctive physical features, including long hair on both sides of her face and a crest in the middle. Her hair is dark in color, quite striking though not very thick.

From May 2024 to July 2025 (1 year and 2 months), Artemis attended forest school in Jerora. During this period, she demonstrated excellent skills in exploring, foraging for natural foods, and building nests. Her use of the forest strata was also highly positive, with 97.06% of her time spent in the canopy, consistent with the arboreal nature of orangutans.

In terms of foraging, Artemis has already identified 38 species of natural food, fulfilling one of the key requirements for release. She has also mastered nest-building, an essential survival skill in the forest. Furthermore, her behavior indicates a healthy level of social distance, with no attraction to humans—an important indicator of readiness for independent living in the wild. Health examinations confirmed that Artemis is in good condition.

Gieke is also a 6-year-old female orangutan. She was born at SOC’s rehabilitation center on October 11, 2018, to a mother named Penai. Gieke is recognizable by her oval-shaped face, resembling her mother, and her thick, bright orange hair.