I have been working with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) based in the Sarawak state of Malaysian Borneo since 2005. My journey in conserving orangutans began when I had my first chance encounter with two orangutans in the wild in 2006. I remember building a sense of awe and deep respect for them as they broke arm-sized branches with one mighty pull after another, in a territorial display.
Another rare sight in the wild—two orangutan mothers, each with an infant clinging at the side–prompted my personal motivation to keep the majestic creatures thriving in their natural state. I then pursued my master’s degree at the University of Adelaide in Australia in 2015 and graduated in 2019. I returned to WCS and have since taken up my current role as the leader for the Orangutan Unit. This includes coordinating the various teams to find answers to three important questions.
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