Chapter 20
Orientation at Camp Fossey took place in the main building. The incoming group, including Mark, Celine, and the three German students, found volunteers finishing their stay at Fossey and heading home after completing their terms of study. Many locals were also in camp, mainly from the Dayak tribe, working in various capacities, including out in the field assisting researchers. Several temporary staff members working on their master’s or PhDs came and went from the central camp to conduct their research. They represented universities and zoos from Berlin to San Diego. In addition to kitchen staff and drivers, there were probably about 35 people in or around camp at any given time. It was slightly busier in the wet season, November to March. Although, as Mark and the others would soon discover, even the dry season, April to October, was not exactly dry and still highly active with research and orangutan rehabilitation.
Mark was in awe each time he was in the presence of the famous Dr. Gunther, who now walked to the front of his small group wearing his distinctive leather hat, blue shirt with the OIT logo, sporting his long bohemian grey hair. He was an icon. Mark gazed out at a man and researcher he had admired since his dad first got him hooked on primates at the Riverdale Zoo. The very man who had taught and inspired him throughout his own academic career, and whose inspiration and encouragement culminated with Mark’s placement here at Camp Fossey.
Gunther began by saying, “I am so pleased to welcome you to the Fossey Research and Primate Rehabilitation Centre, part of the OIT (Orangutan International Trust). I know you have all had long flights and are likely suffering from jet lag, and the first signs of culture shock should be appearing shortly. I’m sure most of you have mixed emotions and are both excited and wondering why you came to the Borneo jungle. My name is Dr. Mathias Gunther, and I will be your host, your mentor and sometimes your tormentor at different times during your stay.” Tired laughter rose from the audience sitting on folding chairs around a crude wooden table, before a man they also greatly admired and hoped to emulate in their own careers.
Mathias Gunther rested his hands on the rough edge of the long table where he sat with his group of new recruits. The wood was scarred, sun-bleached, and held together with bolts rusted by jungle humidity, tightened and retightened over the years. A table that had sat many recruits over the years.
“Well,” he said, glancing up and down the group. “This is Camp Fossey. The first order of business,” as Mathias turned, pulling Liesel’s camera from his backpack, “is to return this camera to its rightful owner, with apologies from Quasimodo, the orangutan thief who took it from Liesel at the dockside.” Reaching over, “Here you go, Liesel, hang on to it. Quasimodo is not to be trusted.”
Liesal gratefully received her camera as she and Gloria exchanged glances and smiled politely as Mathias stated the obvious.
“Yes,” Gunther went on, catching his stride, “plain. Rustic. Basic.”No illusions anywhere.”
He tapped the table top. “If you were expecting comfort, you took a wrong turn somewhere upriver.”
A soft ripple of laughter passed through the group.
“This camp exists for two reasons,” he continued. “Orangutan rehabilitation and research. Nothing else competes with that. Not convenience. Not prestige.”
Celine discreetly asked,” How difficult will it be?”
“Very,” Gunther said, without missing a beat. “The challenges here are constant. Physical. Political. Moral. But the rewards,” he added, quieter now, are long-term. Measured in decades. In lives that return to the forest instead of disappearing from it.”
Albrecht asked, “What are we up against?”
Gunther exhaled loudly through his nose. “Poachers. Illegal logging. Environmental degradation dressed up as development.”
His jaw tightened. “Everything that treats this place as something to be stripped rather than shared.” He leaned back, eyes drifting toward the tree line.
“I built Fossey almost twenty years ago,” he said. “Fresh PhD. Thought passion and evidence would be enough. I was …naive.”
No one interrupted.
“The world has grown harsher since then,” Gunther continued. “More crowded. More impatient. Less willing to listen.”
He shrugged.”The government cooperates on paper. In practice, its superficial at best.”
A murmur moved through the small group.
“The habitat is vanishing,” he said bluntly. “And when it goes, it doesn’t just take the orangutans. It takes the Indigenous communities with it. Different victims of the same erasure.”
He straightened, meeting their eyes one by one.
“So if you are here for quick wins or academic credits, this won’t really be your place. But if you’re here because you believe something fragile is still worth defending.”
A faint, tired smile crossed his face. “Then welcome to Camp Fossey. We’ll need you.” Gunther paused and then added, “Today will be an easy one, but you will get a package to read in addition to what was sent to you in the mail prior to your departure. I assume you have all had your shots before leaving your home countries; otherwise you wouldn’t be here, but please read the sections on insects, especially mosquitoes. Hopefully, you all saw the nets over your beds. Use them.”
Then, with a smile, he quickly recited, “If you survive malaria and Japanese encephalitis from the night-flying mosquitoes, there is always dengue fever to worry about from the day biters who are active from dawn to dusk. If you don’t survive the day or night bites, you really won’t have to worry about typhoid, tetanus, cholera, yellow fever, ticks- remember always break them off as close to the skin as you can- hepatitis A and B, diphtheria and rabies from some of the jungle animals, and apparently there are a few. So ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to Camp Fossey. Read your itineraries, know where you have to be, and please be there on time. We work on a schedule, and we need everyone's cooperation to make our endeavours here work. This is not your vacation, and I am not your tour guide. You are here to work, and work you will; and if you survive me, the bugs, the bites, and the diseases, you may have time to make a difference, and that’s why you are here. Good afternoon, and for your own sake and your survival, do not wander outside the perimeter of the camp on day one. Get to know each other, and I shall see you bright and early for breakfast.” With that, Dr. G left the common room.
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