Further Information
Volunteer with Orang-utans In Sumatra

Orang-utan Observation:

When possible, individual orang-utans are followed from dawn till dusk to collect observational data on the amount of time they spend in specific behaviours. The orang-utan’s day is approximately 11½ hours long, roughly divided into: 60% feeding, 18% resting, 18% travelling, 2% social and 2% nesting.

Specific focus is on feeding behaviour and self-medication. Data is collected using the focal animal method. The following four major behavioural categories are identified:

• Travelling - all movements except short movements during feeding
• Feeding - harvesting, swallowing and chewing a food item
• Resting - sitting, lying and hanging
• Social - any interaction between two or more individuals (i.e. aggressive, sexual, play or display behaviour)

During the day, the travel route of the orang-utan is drawn on a map. All food trees visited are listed.

Samples Being Collected:

• Orang-utan faecal samples
• Orang-utan food samples (herbs, fruit, soil)
• Faecal samples from other local primates
• Sample processing (in brief):

A: For faecal samples: (direct smear, concentration [sedimentation/flotation], special colouring methods, cultivation and parasitological control fixation)

B: Soil samples: (300g in double plastic bags for transport to the processing site)

C: Plant samples: (preservation of pressed, dried specimens for ID, 500g crushed dried material and 3-4g in methanol for transport to processing site)

Additional collected data (the following information will be collected and recorded for proper sample processing later):

• Site temperature
• Humidity
• Weather/rainfall data
• Type of food ingested
• Herb species
• Quantity of food intake
• Time of day utilised
• Information about the subject: health, age, sex, with or without baby
• Information about faeces: weight, consistency, contents, pith, worms, etc.