A group of aspiring zookeepers and wildlife rangers will be celebrating International Orangutan Day in Borneo with some real, live orangutans!

The lucky group of  animal care students who are currently studying the Certificate IV in Captive Animals course, departed Sydney on the 11 August to travel to Borneo on a thirteen-day study tour focussing on animal behaviour, welfare and conservation.

As part of the study-tour, the students will visit five orangutan release sites, a sea turtle sanctuary, conduct six days of fauna surveys, participate in reforestation projects, and see up to eight species of primates in the jungles of Tanjung Puting National Park, a UNESCO declared biosphere.

The experience of a lifetime!

TAFE NSW's study tours provide short-term international study experiences for students to learn industry-standard practices and explore current trends by attending exhibitions, workshops and demonstrations or work placements in other countries, while escorted by a member of staff.

This year marks the second time TAFE NSW students have participated in this tour, and Animal Studies teacher, Darak Figa believes that these type of interactive study tours have been an incredibly beneficial part of the course. "We believe that practical experience is a key component of learning for our students and this study tour is something they will never forget.

World Orangutan Day

Today on August 19, in conjunction with International Orangutan Day, TAFE NSW students will have the rare privilege of spending some up-close and personal time with actual orangutans in the wild.

International Orangutan Day aims to promote the recognition of orangutans - the most iconic victim of the palm oil industry, and help encourage the public to take action in preserving this amazing species. The Bornean orangutan population fell from 35,000 in 1996 to 20,000 in 2006, which is a rate of loss of nearly 43 percent. Since these studies were done, deforestation rates have continued to climb, meaning the actual populations could be well below these figures.

Seeing animals in their natural habitat

This amazing opportunity is giving TAFE NSW students the chance to view a number of primate species in their native habitat and allow them to observe and record animal behaviour, identify animal welfare needs, conduct in field fauna surveys, develop species identification techniques, and identify regional conservation pressures.

Going Global with TAFE NSW

Participation in TAFE NSW study tours expose students to international events, connects with industry professionals and allows students to develop an international perspective on their career. Each study tour is unique and designed by TAFE NSW teaching staff to align with course outcomes and units of competency for the relevant discipline, and funding for the trip was awarded to the study tour from the Endeavour Mobility Grant Scheme.

For more information on careers in Animal Studies at TAFE NSW