'World's saddest orangutan' enjoys new life

Buking was chained to the side of a village house four years and was severely emaciated. Photo / Facebook

An Australian conservationist and animal lover has told the heartbreaking story of a gentle orangutan named Bujing who suffered horrendously before being rescued by her organisation.

Kylie Bullo, Conservation Project Manager for The Orangutan Project is based in Perth but travels regularly to Indonesia where she helps to find and rehabilitate the captured creatures.

But thanks to The Orangutan Project he was rescued and now lives happily at the International Animal Rescue. Photo/Facebook/International Animal Rescue

Bujing was stolen from his dead mother as an infant, sold as a pet for $75 dollars and then kept in horrendous conditions in Sungai Bengaras, West Kalimantan, a province in the southern, Indonesian section of Borneo.

Now nine years old, the emaciated animal had been chained to the side of a village house for four years.

However after finding out about Bujing's plight Bullo organised a Orangutan Project funded Human-Orangutan Conflict Response Team, and travelled in tough conditions for over eight hours to rescue him.

"When the Rescue Team arrived we found Bujing chained to the side of the house. He was very thin and had no hair due to malnutrition. The "owners" of Bujing said that when he was young they would regularly bathe him and give him milk,' Bullo told Daily Mail Australia.

"However, as Bujing grew older they kept him chained up to stop him entering the neighbour's property where he would eat their food. He also had two deep wounds on his back.

"The owners surrendered Bujing to our rescue team who took him back to the rescue centre that The Orangutan Project helps fund in West Kalimantan.

"One can only imagine the sadness and despair that Bujing felt every day. But you could see Bujing's eyes still had a glimmer of hope for a better life ahead."

Since his rescue Bujing has thrived at the Rescuer Centre. His hair is now growing back and he has put on weight thanks to his new healthy diet.

"At nine years old, Bujing is a few years older than his playmates however, he is considerably smaller. This is due to the chronic malnutrition he suffered whilst kept as a pet," said Bullo.

"Thankfully, Bujing has left behind a life of misery and despair. He now has a second chance at living the life an orangutan should."

He is still happily residing at the International Animal Rescue Centre in West Kalimantan.