| Mano’s Next Step Toward Freedom |
Mano, our brave sun bear cub, has reached an important milestone. On 8 September 2025, she was relocated from Tjing’s Forest School to Forest School 2 inside TNWK National Park: the very place where she will one day be released. For now, her dedicated surrogate parents will continue walking with her daily in the forest, guiding her as she learns to adapt and grow more independent.
Forest School is where orphaned wildlife learn the skills they would normally gain from their mothers, skills that can take years to master. For sun bears, cubs stay with their mothers for about two years, so our team steps in to provide that round-the-clock care and guidance. Mano’s journey began when she was rescued as a tiny cub from the illegal wildlife trade. After months of intensive care, she entered Forest School in October 2024. Now, with her transfer to Forest School 2, she has taken her next big step toward freedom. |
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| BBC Podcast with Femke about the Dancing Monkey ban in Indonesia |
JAAN made history in Indonesian animal welfare by leading the fight to end the cruel practice of dancing monkeys. Years of relentless advocacy paid off: Jakarta introduced a ban in 2013, followed by all of Java in 2016, and finally a nationwide ban across Indonesia in 2020.
To commemorate this milestone, the BBC made a podcast! Listen to the 10 minute podcast here https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/w3ct74jl
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| 3 of the 300+ ex-dancing monkey's we rescued since 2013 |
Amel, Kancil and Meli were rescued in October 2024. Together with a group 15 other ex-dancing monkeys, they are now undergoing a rehabilitation process of 2 years(!) in total. Next year, they will be released back into the forest, together with their new family. |
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| Pangolins are the world’s most heavily trafficked mammals, accounting for as much as 20% of all illegal wildlife trade |
Indonesia currently loses up to 10,000 pangolins a year to illegal trade. They are killed in brutal ways for their scales, which are being sold to the traditional medicine market.
On 1 September 2025, our K9 Wildlife Crime Unit confiscated 80 kilograms of pangolin scales (which equals the death of more than 160 pangolins!) and one live pangolin. Our canine heroes, led by Bailey, continue to play a vital role in detecting wildlife at seaports and airports, helping fight against this cruel illegal trade.
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| Our first detection dog, Bailey, uncovered 289 birds hidden inside a minibus. |
On 12 september, our K9 wildlife team worked through the night along the main smuggling route between Sumatra and Java. The birds were rescued and the trader arrested, though sadly, some birds did not survive the journey to our center. The survivors will soon reclaim their much deserved freedom once again.
The illegal bird trade is extremely cruel; wild birds are often captured using inhumane methods like mist nets and glue traps, leading to severe injury or death. Those who survive face cramped, unsanitary conditions during transport and captivity, resulting in high mortality rates. Many are destined for the pet trade, where they endure further suffering due to inadequate care and confinement. |
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| A rare Cuvier’s beaked whale stranded on Gilimanuk Beach, West Bali |
Thanks to the swift response of the fishermen, the whale was safely guided back to deeper waters. This rescue highlights the vital role of community training and quick collaboration in protecting marine life.
Umah Lumba works with local communities and authorities across Bali to ensure first responders can act immediately during strandings. After every incident, our team monitors the site for 24 hours to prevent re-stranding. Thankfully, the whale didn’t return. We are deeply grateful to the Pesisir Asih fishermen, BKSDA, and Polairut for their coordinated efforts that helped this magnificent animal find its way home.
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| Protecting Birds & Boosting Ecotourism: A New Path Forward in Pejarakan | | In August 2025, Pejarakan Village in West Bali, in partnership with JAAN Indonesia, issued an official advisory banning the capture, keeping, and trade of protected wild birds (such as the Bali Starling and Crested Serpent Eagle) and it promotes community-driven birdwatching and sustainable ecotourism.
The initiative includes training local youth and women as birdwatching guides and establishing new trails to turn conservation into opportunity. This landmark move sends a strong message: protecting wildlife and empowering communities can go hand in hand.
Read more about this success story in our news article |
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 RESCUE UPDATES |
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On 11 July, we rescued a baby langur who has since been named Sesil. When she came into our care, Sesil was in very poor condition and required intensive treatment. Langurs are delicate animals with highly specific dietary needs, and at her age she should still have been nestled safely in her mother’s arms. Instead, we now rely on a dedicated surrogate caregiver and our trusted veterinarian to provide the constant care she needs to survive.
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On 14 July, our team in Sumatra stepped in to care for 170 songbirds from seven different species, all confiscated during a joint operation with our K9 Wildlife Unit. Thanks to the incredible work of our loyal dogs (Bailey, Raju, Bibi, and Sprockel) these birds were saved from the illegal wildlife trade and given a second chance at freedom.
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On 15 July, our Wildlife Crime Team succeeded in rescuing a Sumatran agile baby gibbon (Hylobates agilis) from a wildlife trader we had been tracking for some time. Working closely with the police in Depok, West Java, we were able to set a trap for the trader and bring the infant to safety. The little gibbon is now receiving round-the-clock care from a surrogate caregiver and our veterinarian, giving this fragile life a chance to recover. |
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16 August 2025 We received a severely wounded long tailed macaque in West Bali we named Michelle. Michelle was dumped by the owner in the harbor area of Gili Manuk and our team went to catch her with the sedation blow pipe and a trap cage. Finally we managed to bring her to our clinic, and it was clear that if we waited any longer she would have died alone in agony: she had horrific wounds from the chain growing inside her skin and needed multiple surgeries and she will need months of treatment as her skin was already necrotic and the wound severely deeply infected.
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August 25 2025 In Tasikmalaya, West Java, our team responded to a report of a severely malnourished long-tailed macaque forced to perform as a dancing monkey in the city center. With the support of the authorities, we located both the monkey and his handler and immediately intervened. Now safely at our center, the macaque (whom we named Ciko) has begun his rehabilitation journey alongside other rescued long-tailed macaques, including those saved in late 2024 from the last major dancing monkey training facility in West Java.
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 NEWS UPDATES |
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On 13 august, a man was walking his dog near the West Bali national park and discovered three abandoned leopard cat kittens, only about three weeks old. Unable to find their mother, he brought them to our veterinary clinic at the Umah Lumba Center in West Java. Leopard cats are endangered and very sensitive, making their care a real challenge. Sadly, one kitten did not survive, but the other two are now receiving round-the-clock care from our team, giving them a fighting chance.
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Since joining JAAN in 2019, veterinarian Deny Ramadhani has become a leading expert in marine mammal medicine through his dedicated care for rescued dolphins and sea turtles at the Umah Lumba Center. His expertise is now recognized across Indonesia. Since 2023, he has been invited by five universities to train students and give presentations on marine mammal medicine and welfare. We are incredibly proud of Deny and the impact he is making for both animals and future veterinarians. |
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On 10 September, Bali experienced it's worst flooding in years. Our team assisted a dog shelter in Denpasar by relocating the dogs to a safe new shelter. The floods devastated many homes and displaced both people and animals across Denpasar and Jembrana. |
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Lobby for change. In Bali we work towards a total ban on keeping primates as pets and we are very close to success. This will become an example for Indonesia as the ban includes non protected primate species like the long tailed macaques. On October 3, 2025 we held a ground breaking meeting leading closer to the ban. |
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For those of you who support us through a monthly donation: thank you!! This means the world to us. We will keep fighting to end wildlife cruelty in Indonesia! |
Haven't started with monthly donations? Please consider starting today and help us continue with our crucial work |
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