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ORANGUTAN JUNGLE SCHOOL A WILD EDUCATION
ORANGUTAN
JUNGLE SCHOOL
A docu-soap following the hilarious
antics, triumphs and tragedies of a gang
of orphan orangutans as they progress
through a unique forest school system.
They don’t know it yet, but these curious
youngsters are destined for great things
if they graduate from this school with a
difference… the chance to live free in the
wild.
Along the way they endure all the
embarrassments, tears, tantrums and
teenage crushes that come with growing
up orangutan.
THE STAKES ARE HIGH. THE
EDUCATION IS WILD!
© NHNZ commercial in confidence
THE LOCATION
The Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rescue
ORANGUTAN
Center in Borneo, Indonesia, is the largest
orang-utan rehabilitation centre in the world. JUNGLE SCHOOL
The team rescues orangutans that have been
displaced from their habitat or kept as illegal
pets, and teach them the skills necessary
to return to the wild. There are four stages
within the school with over 600 students
ranging in age from a few weeks old to young
adults (equivalent to nineteen-year-olds).
OJS follows the progress of a bunch of
hero students through the four stages of
their education... as well as introducing a
supporting cast of bullies, best mates, rivals
and prima donnas.
© NHNZ commercial in confidence
THE CAST
NURSERY SCHOOL
Nursery School is where very young (new
born – 2 years) recently rescued orangutan
babies are cared for 24/7 by specially
trained surrogate mums. It’s here the tiny
orphans learn to trust again and their unique
personalities emerge as they experience their
first lessons in the forest, closely supervised
by their babysitters, away from the boisterous
older kids.
Just like humans, the first years of an
orangutan’s life are critical for their future
development, and in the wild an orangutan
mother never leaves her little one. A baby
orangutan who is left alone by their babysitter
will become hysterical and scream very
loudly.
In nursery school the orangutans wear diapers
as they spend a large part of their day clinging
to their babysitters. Baby orangutan wearing
diapers are adorable – but this is purely a
practical solution for their hygiene. The
smaller infants are fed milk from a bottle until
they are taught to eat different kinds of fruit
and to drink from their own cups.
© NHNZ commercial in confidence
Some of the nursery
cHARACTERS
Bumi: Bumi is less than 1 year old. She was
brought to Nyaru Menteng in June last year,
aged just 2 weeks old, with the remnants of
her umbilical cord still attached. She weighed
only 1.4kg on arrival, and has 2 bullets in her
lungs. Her mother was shot in a nearby palm
oil plantation.
Noni: Noni was brought in as a baby with
3 bullets in her chest, a broken arm and
a broken leg. She is growing confident in
nursery school now, with bullets removed
from her chest, but is still shy because of the
trauma, and keeps her distance from strange
men.
Luca: Six-month-old Luca is a little male who
was rescued from a man who claimed he had
Luca and Lucinda drew courage from each other
‘found’ the infant in the jungle. He picked up
and quickly became the very best of friends. Their
the baby, and in doing so, apparently caused
confidence and curiosity are growing every day and the
a gaping wound on the infants head with his
keepers have high hopes for these gusty little fighters.
machete!
Lucinda: Eight-month-old Lucinda came
into the centre shortly after Luca. She was
extremely malnourished and was almost
scared of fruit as she had never been fed this
as part of her diet.
© NHNZ commercial in confidence
FOREST SCHOOL Some of the Forest SCHOOL
Forest School ranges from the equivalent of CHARACTERS
elementary school to middle school, where
rambunctious two to six-year-olds learn by
chasing each other through the trees in the jungle
surround Nyaru Menteng, and getting up to as SURA Sura is 4 years old. She is missing
much mischief as their babysitters can tolerate. the tips of three fingers. We have
Hidden within the ‘play’ however are valuable access to 4 years of footage since
lessons for survival. she arrived. Sura broke her arm
recently after falling from a tree, but
They are divided into ‘classes” based on age, size she’s doing well now. She’s shy, and
and ability. They practise their climbing skills observes and assesses everything.
and this is often the stage where those who were She has a fascinating thinking face.
horribly injured as babies learn to climb even
if they are missing a hand or a foot. They learn
about which fruits to eat, the 101 of tree-nest
building, and also dangers to avoid in the jungle
such as snakes and macaque monkeys.
The elementary school toddlers are often
transported to and from class in fleets of the
famous “wheelbarrow” school buses and when Obama was rescued the
they return from spending all day in the forest, day Barack Obama won
they have one more daily ritual to look forward to. the election, but now
All the 2-4 year olds are allowed to play on the the nickname O-barm
famous Nyaru Menteng lawn for an hour before has stuck instead.
bed-time. They get to have a drink of milk and a When he’s scared he
snack and play on the climbing equipment and get puts his left hand under
all their naughtiness out of their systems before his right armpit. Also
they are put to bed in their sleeping quarters. does this if he’s sulking.
But he can be rough
and throws his weight
around. OBAMA
© NHNZ commercial in confidence
Mosa is 3 years. He was found in Kuwait, where he’d been
Tomang; Tomang is 5 years old. He was
smuggled along with 5 sun bear cubs who all died in transit.
confiscated a year ago from a zinc mining
village where he was given ice cream treats MOSA (Orangutans are a status pet for rich Kuwaitis).
once a fortnight. Apparently he got very
angry when Nyaru Menteng wouldn’t give
him ice cream, but soon settled down.
Tomang has been a fast learner at Forest
School, despite arriving as a 4 year old, and
having been a human pet all his life. He has
lots of friends now.
Beni: Beni is 3 years old. He is a little fatty
with a mohawk, but was very skinny when he
first arrived, so has made a big improvement.
He graduated from Baby House earlier than
Cinta arrived at Nyaru Menteng
most, and he’s already developing cheek
on Valentine’s Day, and her name
pads and displaying dominant behavior. He means ‘love’. She’s a real character.
demands lots of love and attention from the She’s agile, acrobatic and loves
babysitters, and he’s very popular and friends showing off. She’s friends with
Obama, and very naughty. I saw
with everyone in Group 1. He loves to splash CINTA one little spat where she got angry
in the water.
with her keeper and had a tantrum
after being disciplined. Cinta uses
Himba: Himba is 5 or 6 years old. He had
a stick to get honey from the
burns to 75% of his body when he arrived and hole-log, but also just sucks her
is now completely recovered. We have access way along the length of the plank
to photos and video of his past. Himba is very when she can’t be bothered using
clever and doing well in forest school. He likes the stick. She has a very fluffy,
frizzy coat, and her hair is much
to grab at cameras. He’s in an older Group wilder than her classmates’. She
with no playground time. loves climbing and getting up high,
and lands heavily when she jumps
down. She likes body-slamming
the ground and wrestling with her
friends. A real tomboy.
© NHNZ commercial in confidence
Luti: Luti is a bit of loner, hangs out by the
building instead of with the others on the Jumbo is 4 years
playground lawn and likes the attention of the old. He also has
babysitter. Despite this, he’s not timid, and one years’ worth
shows independence and dominance. of archive video.
He’s a naughty
Junior: Junior is 4 years old. Junior was found boy who often JUMBO
in a suitcase loaded in the cargo-hold of a
doesn’t do as
Kuwait-bound jet, at Jakarta airport. Marios
he’s told – but is
the vet brought him to Nyaru Menteng, in
immensely cute.
Feb 2016. He uses human sign language
which he was taught as a pet, and always
hangs out on the ground. He’s not really into
climbing trees, and he wants to be with the
babysitter a lot. He still has a chance of being
rehabilitated, but it’s going to take a lot of
work.
Saharini: Saharini is bold and playful and
independent, and often ventures away from
the group to play on her own. Very attached
to her babysitter. Named after a famous
Indonesia singer.
MERYL
Meryl is 5 years old. She’s a cutie, with long
eyelashes. All the orangs in her group love her.
She’s very compatible and makes friends with
everyone.
© NHNZ commercial in confidence
Island School is the equivalent of high school
and college – the last stage of education where
orangutans go to finally prepare for the chance
of being released back into the wild. Ages of the
ISLAND SCHOOL candidates range from 6-14 years – very much
the human equivalent of teenagers and young
adults. There are 5 river islands which usually
hold around 50 potential graduates
Some of the ISLAND SCHOOL cHARACTERS Kase: Kase is 13 years old. She is missing a hand, but is a skilled climber despite her handicap, and very pretty. She’s been on Palas Island since 2014, could be up for wild release in 2019. Mama Edwan: Madam Edwan’s age is not known. She is missing her right arm from elbow down, but is a very skilled climber regardless. Mama Edwan escaped from the island (it’s not known how) and spent 6 months on the lam, only to reappear at the feeding platform one day in very good condition (which is unusual, because often the runaways are emaciated and malnourished when they reappear). So she not only prospered on her own, but she voluntarily returned to Island School. Jupiter: Nine-year-old Jupiter is a sweet, ALAN calm and relaxed teenager who gets on well with everyone. She makes great nests, Eight-year-old Alan has been at Nyaru Menteng since he was two and is almost ready forages for wild foods and travels well in the to graduate. He is a born leader and a skilled nest builder...or maybe obsessive is a canopy. This makes her a leading candidate better description! Alan spends hours breaking the branches into different sizes and to be released into the wild. But Jupiter has will meticulously lay them out into a nest. Once he has made the perfect nest, he will been at the centre almost her entire life and mess the branches up and start again in a new area. Despite his OCD tendencies the there is some doubt as to whether she is other inhabitants of the island school look up to Alan. ready to leave all her friends behind. © NHNZ commercial in confidence
POTENTIAL EPISODE IDEAS
EPISODE ONE: A baby orangutan is rescued
from an Indonesian street Market. It’s a terrifying
truck ride back to Nyaru Mentang but it marks
the beginning of a new life for this tiny ball of
red hair. At the centre the baby is calmed and
then tested for disease (most of the orangutans
that have been with people come with a variety
of problems). He has a nasty wound on his head
that the vet cleans and dresses. The baby is scared
but the carers win him over with fruit treats. They
name him Luca. After a short quarantine he is
moved to the Nursery where other infant orangs
are cared for around the clock by surrogate
human mothers. Two-year-old Noni is being
introduced to the Baby School. It’s her first
experience with other orangutans and she is not
sure what to make of them. Some of the other
orangutans try to play with her but she refuses to
let go of his carer’s hand.
Peanut steals some underwear off the clothesline
and tries to wear it as a hat. Noni watches quietly
and then approaches Peanut bravely. Peanut
generously offers his new friend a pair of knickers
to put on her head, which she does.
NOTE: These characters are all based on observations and research gained from At Forest School we meet the mischievous
a recent trip to Nyaru Menteng. The individuals we feature in ORANGUTAN “Bandit Boys”, a group of young male orangutans
JUNGLE SCHOOL will however be selected at the outset of the field shoots based whose bond began at the nursery. Obama one
on our filming schedule, available individuals and the advice of their custodians. By of the Bandit Boys, concentrates his efforts on
gaining Cinta’s affections when all she wants to do
choosing characters at different ages we will have a combination of cute and cuddly
is join the gang..
youngsters and older more independent individuals, each with a distinct personality
and commanding on screen presence and a wide range of different lessons to be Over at Island School, Jupiter, a senior pupil,
learned. All the storylines in the following episodes outlines are also based on true watches a boat pull up. Five young orangutans
stories and are very much the sort of events we expect to make up the narratives. are arriving. New blood! Over the next few years
they will hone their survival skills and eventually
graduate to the wild. But that day is a long way
off, for now they just try to fit in.
© NHNZ commercial in confidenceEPISODE TWO : A baby orangutan is brought across the river at its lowest level during the all human mothers their carers sometimes give in
to the centre. When the vets try to check her dry season (he also made a bridge from a fallen to their whining and provide treats.
over she just sits on the table hugging herself. tree) and is lurking around group. His presence
This is called self-comforting and is a sign is causing concern for the young teenagers, Forest School is extra noisy today. Tomang tries
that the young orangutan has been seriously especially the new arrivals. to get all the girls’ attention although no one is
traumatized. They call her Lucinda and take her to taking him seriously. The feisty Cinta becomes
Nursery School to meet the other infants. These One of the younger males, Chen Chen, becomes jealous and makes her feelings well known to
orangutan infants have all experienced tragic anxious and asserts his dominance by brutally everyone within a hundred mile radius. Cha Cha
beginnings to their lives. Many of the infants attacking Jupiter. Alan, a senior on the island, ignores vital lessons she’s learned and lets her
watched their mothers killed by hunters before screams at Chen Chen and tries to comfort curiosity lead her into a dangerous playdate with
being taken and sold on a thriving black market as Jupiter but she flees deep into the forest and a snake.
pets. Others were separated from their mothers doesn’t come back for dinner. Has Chen Chen’s
beating caused her to isolate herself from the At the Baby School Peanut is holding centre
when their forest homes were cleared for palm stage as usual, along with Noni who is becoming
plantations. class and potentially go missing?
a bit of a socialite. As the babies invent a new
Lucinda meets little Luca who arrived just a week EPISODE THREE: The wet season has arrived game which looks very much like hide and seek,
earlier. The two of them bond immediately and and mosquitoes are everywhere. Floods transform word comes through from the technicians who
the results of this friendship are apparent also the Island School, confronting the young watch over Island School that Jupiter is back! She
very quickly as both grow in confidence. teenagers with dangers never experienced in appears healthy, with no injuries. How did she
Forest School. survive?
At Forest School classes are in full swing. Today
it’s all about climbing and teaching the young While Alan entertains himself with a makeshift EPISODE FOUR: The rainy season continues
orangutans to avoid snakes. As per usual Junior toy by the river’s edge, the forest-wise Mama relentlessly and the inexperienced orangutans
is clinging onto his baby-sitter and not paying Edwan knows this isn’t a place to linger as flood who just arrived to Island School have to learn
attention and Saharini has wandered off on her waters rise and crocodiles lurk. Jupiter is still rapidly how to escape the flooding. Many are
own. She finds herself surrounded by angry missing. spending more time in the trees which is what
macaques and quickly flees back to class. they should be doing, while others forget crucial
In the nursery friends Luca and Lucinda play with lessons already learned. Jupiter takes to the water
In Baby School Noni’s friendship with Peanut a large bucket of water on the grass. Orangutans and in deep puddles she demonstrates that she
means she is gaining confidence, but also learning are highly intelligent and have the ability to has learned to catch catfish with her hands. This
mischief. Peanut is turning into a ‘star athlete’ reason… and manipulate their mothers and carers! could be how she survived when she fled, and now
with his tree climbing and so Noni’s tree climbing Infant orangutans will sometimes whinge and this may be an entirely new food source for the
skills accelerate possibly beyond her ability! whine just like human kids. Their favorite food is entire Island School class.
fruit which makes up 60% of their diet and Luca
Things are not as happy at the Island School. An and Lucinda are introduced to a wide variety of At Nursery School Lucinda is learning to drink
older male from a neighbouring island has waded fruits - mostly at scheduled meal times - but like milk from a cup for the first time… she is making
© NHNZ commercial in confidencea huge mess and doesn’t seem to have worked Back at the nursery Lucinda is missing him At Forest School the students are learning
out yet that the milk in the cup is the same as the desperately and has started to self-comfort again. nest building. Cha Cha is losing patience with
milk she has been receiving by bottle for the last Her carers spend a lot of time trying to distract Cinta who is stealing her branches and Meryl’s
few months… but she’s enjoying every minute of her and eventually it works. Within a few days nest keeps collapsing under her. For once the
the new experience. Her constant companion, Lucinda is back to her usually curious self. mischievous ‘Bandit Boys’ including Obama are
Luca is not there to share the fun though. Luca outperforming everyone.
is in the clinic after developing a raging fever in In Forest School today Junior is using the sign
the middle of the night. Wrapped in a blanket and language he learned as a family pet to try and At Nursery School Lucinda masters the art of
shivering violently, he looks as lost as he did when get more milk from his babysitter. She knows drinking milk from a cup Her little arms and legs
he first arrived at Nyaru Menteng. The vets aren’t his conniving ways however and ignores him. are growing strong and she can now swing along a
positive yet what the problem is but they suspect Meanwhile Himba has been watching closely small tree branch unaided. She is making friends
malaria. and appears to make some of the signs himself with many of the other infants and showing signs
showing how quickly these orangutans can learn of being a future ‘alpha’ female. Over in Baby
In Baby School Noni refuses to play and is from each other. School there’s a party going on and during the
obviously lethargic. There is concern she may also celebrations Peanut crawls over to one of the
be ill so they take her to the clinic for a check-up. At Baby School Noni has recovered from what trees in the playground, climbs to the very top
Without his buddy Peanut takes to the top of the was luckily just a stomach bug and is now eating and starts vocalizing loudly… It’s clear to everyone
trees and refuses to come down even when the everything in sight…the other toddlers join in and he’s saying, “look at me, I am King”… Noni takes
wheelbarrow bus arrives to take him home.. it ends in a hilarious food fight. another bite of papaya cake and gives a toothy
At the Island School, a couple more of the grin.
At Forest School Meryl is alone and appears
depressed after a run-in with one of the bullying powerful males from a neighbouring island have After a month of round the clock care Luca is well
Bandit Boys. Cinta comforts her by hugging figured out the electric fence bordering Palas enough to return to the Nursery. When Lucinda
her and then show her a new trick she’s learned and Kaja Islands is not working and they are sees him for the first time in over a month she
– rolling leaves and blowing through them. This looking for some mischief. How will the young stands up on her tiny back legs and starts toddling
cheers Meryl up and soon the two little females community defend themselves? Meanwhile, Alan toward him.
are happily blowing into their leaves. takes drastic action when a flash flood prevents
him from reaching his feeding platform. Will his This is the first time Lucinda has done this and
EPISODE FIVE: It’s confirmed that Luca does ground-breaking behaviour cost him his life? the significance is not lost on her babysitter. But
has malaria. He is in grave danger and unable to for now it’s all about Luca who is welcomed back
take fluids, the vet places him on an IV drip. His EPISODE SIX: The electric fence around Island to the midway house with kiss-squeaks, hugs and
breath is becoming irregular as he fights for his School is operational again and there is now a sharing of milk.
life. He’s in intensive care for 24 hours – but sense of calm.
miraculously he makes it through the long day Jupiter becomes a role model as the group learns
and night. He spends his night at the vet’s house to imitate her effective method of foraging for
and is showered with love and attention. food in the flood waters.
© NHNZ commercial in confidenceORANGUTAN JUNGLE SCHOOL REAL DRAMA . REAL CHARACTERS . REAL STAKES
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