Anil Prabhakar went into the bush hoping to see a wild orangutan, but instead, he captured a touching gesture of charity.
Prabhakar, an Indonesian wildlife photographer, and reporter, has always believed in photography’s ability to inspire emotion as well as social change. “Every shot, in my opinion,” Prabhakar told The Dodo, “can speak for itself.” “I’m more interested in expressing a sentiment with which I can identify.”
Prabhakar started associated with the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation after learning about the predicament of orangutans owing to deforestation. He went to the foundation in 2019 to learn more about their projects, and they offered to show him around their protected territory.
“This group saves orangutans from habitat destruction, poachers, and captivity,” Prabhakar explained. “They’ll save them and assist them in returning to the wild.” They treat them if they are hurt and assist them in dealing with the trauma they have experienced.
Then they relocate them to a temporary forest where they may become used to living in the wild before releasing them back into the main forest.”
While trekking through the jungle, Prabhakar noticed a crew member enter a small river. He asked the guards why the man was approaching the orangutan’s habitat, and they told him that a snake had been spotted over there.
“Poisonous snakes are dangerous to orangutans, so they have to take care of those things,” Prabhakar said. “So, this fellow started cleaning these bushes all along the river, and it was as if he was moving in slow motion because his legs were getting stuck inside the mud.”
Prabhakar observed the guy 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.”
The orangutan volunteered to assist pull the man out of the muck for three minutes, but the man disregarded the extended hand and walked away. Prabhakar was taken aback.
“This was absolutely new to me,” Prabhakar said. “Never in a million years did I expect to witness anything like that.” This orangutan, in my opinion, was attempting to assist him. It’s human nature to go to someone in need and provide a helping hand.”
When the crew member returned to shore, Prabhakar inquired as to why he had refused the orangutan’s offer of help. 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 powerful that he might have been wounded, or worse, the orangutan may have lost her balance and fell into the river.
Prabhakar kept the powerful 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 believes there’s an important lesson to be learned from such a moment, and was grateful he was there to capture it and share it with the world.
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