EVENING Star readers have today been sent an uplifting update on a mission to rescue orphaned orang-utans in the rainforests of Malaysia.

EVENING Star readers have today been sent an uplifting update on a mission to rescue orphaned orang-utans in the rainforests of Malaysia.

Earlier this year we told how the Shangri-La hotel group is saving the much-loved red-haired animals in the forest adjoining its Rasa Ria resort, near Kota Kinabalu, Borneo.

Today director Regina Sulit sent us an update - and announced the arrival of another rescued orang-utan, a two-year-old male, called Jaya.

The Rasa Ria site is a halfway-house rescue centre, with animals being sent across Borneo, to the Sepilok centre, once they completed the first stage of rehabilitation.

Jaya, rescued by plantation workers at the Kertam Plantation, Lahad Datu, Borneo, arrived at Rasa Ria last week - joining six other young orang-utans.

Said Regina: “Jaya has now joined our young orang-utans at the same time as two others, Merudu and Katie, both four, left for the next stage of their rehabilitation.

“From our animal curator Dino downwards we are very proud that since 1996 a total of 27 orang-utans have returned to Sepilok Centre for their second stage of rehabilitation.”

The animals can be seen in a rainforest visitor centre next to the resort - and are free to live in harmony in a controlled area.

One problem that can crop up concerns the resort's nearby golf course - where long ginger arms have occasionally been known to pop out of the undergrowth to grab a golf ball!.

What do you think of the magnificent creatures? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk