Reaching For The Canopy

“Temara had done her species proud and proven that captive orangutans do have a place in the jungle of tomorrow. I felt honoured that I was by her side during the first part of her remarkable world-first journey.” In 2006, Kylie Bullo and her colleagues at Perth Zoo were part of a bold, groundbreaking experiment that many experts believed was doomed to failure – to return a zoo-born orangutan to the wild. The orangutan they chose was Temara, a fiery redhead with a will of her own. Temara had always been strong, intelligent and independent, but preparing for the return to the jungles of her ancestors would put all her best qualities – and those of her keepers – to the test. This is the story of that remarkable journey and of the remarkable woman who helped make it happen. It proves that the right blend of passion, compassion and hard work can achieve what many thought was impossible. And it brings new hope to those fighting to bring this magnificent creature back from the brink of extinction.