Home sweet home! Building work starts on a new jungle house in Borneo for rescued orangutan Mely and her pals

-Mely was snatched from her mother 16 years ago and shackled in chains until her rescue in 2009
-Now the home that will be Mely's until the day she dies is taking shape and will be ready for her to move into later this year

By ALLAN HALL


Resting: Mely sleeps soundly in her hammock at the Internatinonal Animal Rescue centre in Ketapang Borneo. When she was rescued Mely was lightly sedated so that the cruel padlock and chain from her neck could be removed

This is the house that compassion is building - a sanctuary for an Mely, the orangutan, who has endured year of abuse until her rescue in 2009.
After her plight was made public, thousands of pounds were donated by Mail readers to help the stricken animal.
One animal lover even donated a massive £500,000 gift which ensured that Mely will never again know want, fear or suffering.
The anonymous donor sent the money to British wildlife charity International Animal Rescue earlier this year after we highlighted her plight in the jungles of far off Borneo.
Now the rythmm of the jungle rocks to a new beat - digging, hammering, sawing and planing as the wooden home that will protect her and her pals is finished.

Hopeful: The home that will be Mely's until the day she dies is taking shape and - extra funds permitting - will be ready for her to move into later this year

Mely was snatched from her mother 16 years ago, shackled in chains, tethered on to a tiny verandah as a pet.
She had endured seeing her mother shot and her carcass left to rot by a fisherman who wanted to keep her as a trophy pet.
Traumatised and alone, the special bonding that creatures like her need was denied her.
Instead she was an outcast, fed on raw noodles and chilli powder which left her undernourished and unhealthy.
In the wild a diet rich in fruit and fibres would have grown limbs that would have propelled her Tarzan-like through the canopy of rainforest trees that form her natural habitat.

New pad: This is the house that the compassion is building - a sanctuary for Mely, an orangutan rescued by the generosity of Daily Mail readers who now will live in comfort with her pals

The money was used on transport - boat, plane and lorry - to get Mely from her captivity to her new home.
Help finally came for Mely on Friday 22 October 2010 when the IAR rescue team swung into action.
Armed with the official licence to confiscate her and accompanied by members of the local police department who are required to be in attendance whenever a captive orangutan is seized, she was free at last.

Safety: Eventually Mely, who was snatched from her mother 16 days ago and kept as a pet, will be able to spend her days playing in safety in her new home

Karmele Llano Sanchez, Veterinary Director of IAR in Indonesia, said: 'Having waited months for the go ahead to rescue her we received the call telling us that it was all systems go.
There was very little time to plan or prepare. We knew Mely's owner had been trying to sell her and we were terrified of arriving to find that she had vanished – along with the chance to save her.
Thankfully she was still there and her owner handed her over without argument.
'When the rescue team arrived it was clear that Mely was bewildered and frightened by all the upheaval. No one could find the key to unlock the heavy padlock around her neck and so she was led into the transport crate still wearing the chain. It was eventually removed hours later at IAR's rescue centre in Ketapang, West Kalimantan.'

Caring: 'Mely had never seen another orangutan since she lost her mother, so it took some time and patience to get her through this stage of her rehabilitation,' said the IAR

Their numbers have plummeted because their rainforest home is being destroyed so trees can be planted as part of the lucrative palm oil industry.
But for Mely, at least, the nightmare is over.
Soon she will be romping on rope bridges, relaxing on tree-top high platforms and snoozing in hammocks in a safety zone where no-one can ever abuse her again.
A spokeswoman for IAR said; 'What a wonderful gesture for a Daily Mail reader to make. Mely clearly touched the hearts of all. Much more work does need to be done to help these beautiful creatures, but for Mely the future is looking bright indeed.'

You look like me: Mely (right) meets Nicky another orphaned orangutan - it was is the first time Mely has met another orangutan since her mother shot dead 15 years ago

Swinging fun: IAR officials could barely hold back their tears when they saw the duo embrace for the first time

Chained up: Mely was fed on raw noodles and chilli powder which left her undernourished and unhealthy - her arms and legs could barely support her when International Animal Rescue officials rescued her in 2009

Desperate: Her rescuer said 'No one could find the key to unlock the heavy padlock around her neck and so she was led into the transport crate still wearing the chain. It was eventually removed hours later.'

source: dailymail