Rescued orangutan recovering well from arm amputation

07/10/2012 12:50:36 Being prepared for release into the wild
October 2012. Pelangsi, the wild orangutan whose arm was amputated after he was rescued from a snare, is recovering well from surgery and able to move and climb in his cage in spite of his handicap. The young adult male is at the International Animal Rescue centre in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, where he is being prepared for release back into the wild. Human contact is being kept to a minimum and all treatment of his injury is carried out under anaesthetic to minimise stress.

Executive Director Karmele Llano Sanchez says: "Pelangsi is very active and hopefully it won't be too much longer before he can return to the forest and show us all how well he can cope with his handicap. He is eagerly gathering the leaves and branches provided for him and making nests as well as he can, so he definitely hasn't forgotten the skills he will need to survive in the wild."

Trapped in a snare for 10 days
Pelangsi was rescued by IAR's team in the nick of time in April after spending ten days trapped in a snare set by a local villager to trap wild pigs and deer. At the beginning of May IAR's vets amputated the lower half of his right arm which was severely infected and, if left untreated, would have cost him his life.

Pelangsi was found with his arm caught in a snare, and his arm had to be amputated to save his life.