Emergency Appeal
Please help the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program (SOCP)


The Situation
The orangutans need your help – and so does the SOCP team! On November 27, 2024 at 1:00am, several major landslides struck the SOCP Orangutan Quarantine and Rehabilitation Center near Medan in North Sumatra. The landslides were triggered by exceptionally heavy rainfall and caused extensive damage to key infrastructure, including the main veterinary clinic and multiple orangutan enclosures.

The Center was home to 41 orangutans at the time of the landslides, and 18 of them were swept out of their holding cages by the mudslides. All but one of the displaced orangutans were safely recovered and returned to the center. Unfortunately the one remaining orangutan, an adult male, could not be retrieved and passed away in the nearby canopy. Another young male, who had been in critical condition since arriving at the rehabilitation center almost two years ago, suffered internal injuries in the landslides and, despite intensive veterinary care, he passed away in his sleep.​
​No injuries were sustained by the SOCP staff. However, the scale of the destruction to the center is immense.
Immediate ActionFollowing the landslides, the SOCP team immediately focused on: retrieving the 18 orangutans; clearing the debris; stabilizing the affected area; and assessing the full extent of the damage. This disaster poses a significant challenge, yet the SOCP team is determined to restore the center and continue its exceptional care for orangutans.
Priorities at this time are
  • Ensuring continuity of care: Maintaining essential daily care and rehabilitation for the orangutans.
  • Rebuilding infrastructure: Restoring the clinic, enclosures, and other damaged facilities.
  • Strengthening preparedness: Enhancing infrastructure to better withstand future challenges.
Support Necessary
​Your donations are urgently needed. The damage to the sanctuary is immense. The veterinary clinic was hit the hardest and was completely destroyed. Many of the enclosures, including those at the baby house, have also been destroyed. Initial estimates for immediate aid and reconstruction are around half a million USD. Please donate what you are able.
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Photo by Max Block
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