PSO Arsari
(East Kalimantan)
The Arsari Orangutan Sanctuary Centre (PSO Arsari) was established in 2018, to provide a haven for orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) with wide cheek pads who are unable to survive in the wild, in the Kelawasan Island and other islands surrounding Balikpapan Bay. The programme started in 2018 by constructing a quarantine area on 11 hectares of land owned by PT ITCIKU, a subsidiary of the Arsari Group, in Penajam Paser District, Province East Kalimantan. Five orangutans currently reside in this area until Kelawasan Island is ready.
Kelawasan Islands, a 254-hectare conservation island located within the bounds of the new capital, has been designated as an Orangutan Sanctuary Island.
On 7 July 2024, YAD signed a Tripartite Cooperation Agreement with the East Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) and the Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN). The agreement focuses on the conservation of orangutans and other wildlife, as well as their habitats within the working area of the East Kalimantan BKSDA and the Nusantara Capital Authority.
Additionally, YAD conducts socialisation and awareness programmes for students around PSO Arsari. YAD also engages in research, internships, and regularly sends its teams to attend the Orangutan Veterinary Advisory Group (OVAG) to enhance personnel capacity.
