Uckfield animal rescue charity brings orang-utan back to life

Gito is now thriving at a compound for orphaned orang-utans in West Borneo

A baby orang-utan left to die in a filthy cardboard box in Borneo is now healthy enough to attend "pre-school" with other apes, a charity has said.

Newly released images show Gito swinging happily and confidently on a climbing frame along with other orphaned baby orang-utans.

It is a stark contrast to the lifeless figure rescuers from a British charity found three months ago.

Then, Gito lay corpse-like with his arms folded across his chest.

His grey flaking skin and lack of hair made him look "almost mummified" in his urine-soaked box, rescuers from East Sussex-based International Animal Rescue (IAR) said.

The charity said "Gito" was dumped in a cardboard box and left out in a backyard to die

Even the most hardened members of the team were said to be shocked by the state Gito was in

Gito was found in the village of Hamlet Giet in Simpang Hulu district, 105 miles from the orang-utan rehabilitation base in West Borneo.

Dehydrated and malnourished, Gito was taken to the IAR clinic by motorbike in an arduous nine-hour journey.

During a medical check, Gito was feverish, with stiff hands and feet. He was unable to sit up on his own and was suffering from diarrhoea and from sarcoptic mange - a highly contagious skin disease.

In quarantine, he has developed enough strength in his arms and legs to climb and swing like other orang-utans his age, a spokesman for Uckfield-based IAR said.

Gito is now said to be thriving at "pre-school" where he can practise his skills in the forest.

Gito is one of a number of orphaned orang-utans being cared for by East Sussex-based International Animal Rescue

IAR chief executive Alan Knight said the charity had taken in an increasing number of baby orang-utans amid devastating forest fires in the region.

Even though the rainy season had started and the fires were dying out, orang-utans stranded without food and shelter still needed rescuing.

"At least Gito and his friends are in safe hands now and progressing well," said Mr Knight.

"Once they are bigger, stronger and more confident they will move on to baby school, the next stage of their rehabilitation and a step closer to their eventual release back into the wild."

Gito's healthy appearance contrasts with the lifeless figure found in a cardboard box