World's Only Living Albino Orangutan Spotted More Than a Year After Her Release Into the Wild
Alba, the world’s only surviving albino orangutan, is living her best life following her 2018 release into a rainforest in Borneo.
Wildlife experts at the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation recently caught a glimpse of the majestic beast while they were observing Unyu, one of the three orangutans who were recently rehabilitated and returned to the wild, according to a press release from the organization.
Not only did Alba seem to be thriving in her natural habitat, but officials said the great ape even welcomed Unyu — whom she was living with during her time at an animal rehabilitation center — into her territory.
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“While monitoring Unyu, one of newly released orangutans, the team looked on as he encountered Alba, the only albino orangutan known to man,” their statement read. “Their immediate greeting served as a heart-warming reminder that during her time at the BOS Foundation’s Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre, Alba had been housed together with Unyu.”
The foundation called the encounter an “interesting reunion” amid reports of Alba flourishing in her natural environment.
“I have received reports that Alba is capable of extensive exploration, skillful foraging, and deft nest building. She also socializes with other released orangutans within the national park,” Agung Nugroho, the head of the Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park Authority, said in a statement. “This is truly positive. We all hope that Alba continues to survive in this forest, and live wild.”
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Alba was rescued by the BOS Foundation in 2017 when they received a tip about an orangutan being kept as a pet at a village in Borneo. At the time, the ape was around 5 years old and had been kept in a cage, according to the organization.
Wildlife experts were initially concerned for Alba, whose unique appearance is a result of a rare genetic defect, and her survivability in the rainforest after they discovered that she was hard of seeing and hearing.
Alba spent 20 months at a rehabilitation center before she was reintroduced to the wild in December 2018.
