Day 45

Today everyone was finally back to good health. They each got a health check up with the vet before heading to the outdoor cage. Even though Bakut and Maohun are around the same size, Bakut is 10kgs -
three more than Maohun, which just shows what a little fatty he is! I had Sepilok again, and he is still not a fan of being weighed on the scales. He was doing everything he could to grip me, and the basket, with his hands and feet. But eventually Ibri and I got him inside. He kept whimpering and sticking his hand out for me to hold it. Then his temperature was taken with a baby thermometer, which you just place on their forehead. Then their heartbeat is taken, their teeth checked, etc.

Archie was the second one I brought out and the poor little thing had to have an injection in his leg because he has been very unwell. We had to hold him face down, and considering he is a baby, he is still very strong. When I took him out to his cage, he kept reaching down to touch and kiss his leg. Salamat was also weighed and treated to a coconut oil massage – he does have very dry skin to be fair, as he barely has any hair. The semi-wild orangutans had managed to swipe a purple chequed blanket from somewhere, so everyone was playing with that. Boogie Boy kept hiding completely under it, and at one point, just his lip was poking through one of the holes in it.

In the afternoon, Kala had a thin strip of the fabric he'd ripped from the blanket, and was draping it over the rope and using it to swing his entire body weight from – it must have been strong. After he got bored of twisting around doing this, he looked directly at me, and I just knew he was going to grab me. I didn't move quickly enough, so he latched himself around my boot. He kept trying to play bite, and would swipe at April and I as we tried to detach him. But I got free in the end without any damage.

Ospie wasn't too happy today, she kept coming back and whimpering and crying and doing everything she could to avoid climbing. She loves to just sit out on the ropes, holding on with both arms, but with her legs in a crossed, yoga-like position. She can sit like that for quite a while, looking over grumpily to see if she should attempt another return.

We shake the rope back and forth quite often to try and encourage them out. Sometimes it works, but quite often they stop half way and hang upside down to try and reach the leaves and stalks growing below. Sometimes they swing out and back quite a long way, arms outstretched, or if Boney swings it hard enough they can do a whole 360 degree circle, holding on with all hands/feet. Koko is also a big fan of acrobatics – holding on with one hand to the part where the various ropes meet, while leaning back and holding her hand out like she's a dancer. One morning, while waiting to get out of her cage, she pressed her bottom against the bars and pushed both of her legs

completely outside.

This evening Amoy made her amazing vegetarian buns that she made for the cultural dinner – literally just a bun filled with mixed veg and egg, then deep fried. She also made an amazing rice with just garlic and egg. Not going to lie, I ate four buns! They are my favourite meal here. She also bought us a chocolate cake to say thanks for our help, as she is going away for a week's holiday soon, so we won't see her until just before we leave.