A baby orangutan clutches the bars of his tiny, filthy cage as rescuers prepare to free him.
Moments later little Batis was filmed wailing and crying as he clung to one of his saviours.
The six-month-old great ape was held captive by a man who claimed he found him alone on the edge of the forest in Borneo, Indonesia.
Shocked saviours from Interna- tional Animal Rescue said Batis was not let out of his 80cm by 50cm wooden prison for three months.
He was fed white rice, papaya and sugar cane. After being freed he was seen gulping water.
Batis, who was in good condition health wise, was then given a large teddy bear to cuddle up to.
Although Batis has now been placed in an eight-week quarantine, it is hoped he will join other oran- gutans at the IAR Indonesia’s Oran- gutan Rescue and Conservation Centre in Sungai Awan, Ketapang.
IAR Indonesia programme director, Karmele Sanchez said: “The keeping of wild animals as pets should no longer happen.
“In addition to threatening the preservation of wildlife, irrespon- sible behaviour like this risks endangering humans with diseases.
“It is time to stop keeping wild animals captive, [they] should stay in the forest.
“People who find or see orangu- tans and other wildlife where they don’t belong should report it to the authorities.”
Batis was rescued from a hamlet in Hulu Sungai District on April 17.
