The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has donated 90 hoses of various lengths and dimensions to the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP).

These hoses will be shipped to Medan, Indonesia to contribute to SOCP’s conservation efforts of the critically endangered Sumatran orangutan.

On December 18, 2020, a hand-over ceremony was held to symbolise SCDF’s donation of old firefighting hoses to SOCP.

In May 2016, SCDF donated hoses to Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS). More recently, in November 2020, SCDF donated a total of 94 hoses to WRS.

A semi-wild home for orangutans is under construction in North Sumatra as part of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP).

This will be the first of its kind in the world. There are a number of confiscated illegal pet orangutans living at the SOCP’s old quarantine centre.

For health reasons, these orangutans cannot be released back to the wild.

Orangutan Haven is an ambitious project that will provide nine island homes for these special orangutans that require ongoing care from dedicated SOCP staff.

Nine orangutan islands need to be furnished in a way that is appropriate for orangutans, basically strong enough so orangutans can replicate their climbing behaviour and physiology.

According to the press release, fire hoses are the most appropriate material to achieve this. The fire hoses can be repurposed as resting areas or climbing environments.

This allows the intelligent creatures to maintain their regular activities as they would have done in their native habitat.

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Image from SOCP and SCDF