Orangutan release sparks debate

Reared in captivity, primates now roam Malaysia on their own

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Malaysian researchers are testing whether three young orangutans reared in captivity can adapt to life in the wild outside Borneo, while activists insisted on Wednesday the experiment was a flawed way of trying to help the endangered primates.

The project is spearheaded by a private foundation that runs Orangutan Island, a research center and tourist attraction in northern peninsular Malaysia.