This Valentine’s Day, years of love and dedication culminated in the return to the wild of 24 long-tailed macaques. Thanks to your support, Lady Freethinker was able to provide the funding our friends at Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) needed to safely relocate and release these macaques after months – and in some cases years – of expert rehabilitation at their Sumatra Wildlife Center.
Each of them had suffered because of human pressures: victims of the illegal wildlife and pet trade, exploited as tourist photo props, or displaced by habitat loss and labeled “pests” when they searched for food near agricultural areas.
But now, these special animals have been given a second chance at the lives they were always meant to live – free in the forests where they belong.
From Exploitation to Freedom
Courtesy of Jakarta Animal Aid Network
These macaques endured immense suffering before their rescue by JAAN. Some were taken from the wild as babies, stolen away from their mothers, their families, and their forest homes. Many required intensive veterinary care, and all needed careful behavioral rehabilitation before they could safely return to the wild.
JAAN’s dedicated team provided countless hours of expert care – ensuring each macaque was physically healthy, socially prepared, and capable of surviving in the wild again. Finding a suitable release site for these macaques took months of careful planning. The chosen forest location offers abundant natural food and water, dense tree cover, minimal competition from other troops, and protection from wildlife poachers, giving them the best possible chance to thrive.
A Return Home Made Possible by You
Courtesy of Jakarta Animal Aid Network
This release represents years of tireless efforts from rescuers, rehabilitators, advocates, and compassionate supporters like you. Because of that collective love, their long journey home is finally complete.
Lady Freethinker is proud to support frontline partners like JAAN, who are working hard to protect Indonesia’s wildlife. While this release is an inspiring and powerful success story, many more macaques – and other animals – still urgently need help. With continued compassion, commitment, and support from people like you, we will keep fighting for them.
