Anil Prabhakar went into the bush hoping to see a wild orangutan, but instead he ended up photographing a really lovely gesture of charity.
Prabhakar, an Indonesian wildlife photographer and reporter, has long believed in photography’s ability to inspire both emotion and social change. “Every shot, in my opinion, can speak for itself,” Prabhakar told The Dodo. “I’m more interested in portraying a feeling that I can relate to.”
After learning of the plight of orangutans due to deforestation, Prabhakar became involved with the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. In 2019, he visited the foundation, hoping to learn more about their programs, and they offered to give him a tour of their protected land.
“This organization rescues orangutans from habitat loss, poachers and those being kept in captivity,” Prabhakar said. “They will rescue them and help them get back to the wild. They treat them if they are injured and help with the trauma they’ve faced. Then they move them to a temporary forest, where they can get used to being wild, and release them to the main forest.”
Prabhakar witnessed a crew member enter a tiny river while traveling through the bush. When he inquired as to why the guy was approaching the orangutan’s habitat, the guards informed him that a snake had been sighted nearby.
“They have to take care of poisonous snakes since they are deadly to orangutans,” Prabhakar added. “So, this guy started clearing these bushes all down the river, and it seemed as if he was going at a snail’s pace because his legs were caught in the muck.”
Prabhakar observed the man was having trouble lifting his legs, but he wasn’t the only one who was worried. A nearby female orangutan was also watching the incident unfold.
“All of a sudden, this orangutan approached the riverbanks, sat down, and observed what this man was doing,” Prabhakar said. “When he fought to get his legs out, the orangutan placed her left hand on the riverbank and stretched her other hand towards him.” It was a thoughtful gesture.”
For three minutes, the orangutan offered to help pull the man from the mud, but the man ignored the extended hand and moved away. Prabhakar was shocked.
“For me, this was completely new,” Prabhakar said. “I never expected to see anything like that. In my mind, this orangutan was trying to help him. It’s human nature — if someone is in trouble, you go there and lend a hand.”
When the crew member returned to shore, Prabhakar inquired as to why he had refused the orangutan’s offer of assistance. The man said that he was just there as a “lifeguard” and that he was not allowed to interact with the wild animals. He went on to say that orangutans’ hands and arms are so strong that he might have been wounded, or worse, the orangutan may have lost her balance and fell into the river.
Prabhakar kept the striking photographs he shot that day for a year before sharing them. Prabhakar was greatly moved by the orangutan’s attempt to aid a human, despite the fact that people had destroyed her native environment.
Prabhakar feels there is a valuable lesson to be gained from such an experience, and he is thankful for it.
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