Robin Voigt
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
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Robin Voigt has worked as a graphic artist, illustrator, book designer and writer for 35 years in Australia, New Zealand, England and South America
She has also experimented in many different art forms – silk painting, printmaking, ceramics and photography. She has always been passionate about wildlife and while living in the Blue Mountains volunteered with Wires to help with animal rescue.
She recently moved up to the Mid-North Coast of NSW and said she has happily settled in Port Macquarie in a house backing onto a nature reserve with kangaroos, a koala corridor and myriads of beautiful birds.
ARTIST'S REASON FOR PARTICIPTING
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She said once she heard about Project Orangutan – The Exhibition she knew wanted to help.
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BOB
Rescued: October 2014 | Status: Undergoing Rehabilitation at IAR Ketapang
Bob was just three years old when he was rescued by International Animal Rescue from Tumbang Titi, West Kalimantan. Kept as a pet in a cramped iron cage at the front of his owner’s house, Bob’s early life was far removed from the freedom of the forest. He was fed a human-style diet of rice, vegetables, crackers, fruit, milk, and sweet tea through a straw, and even bathed twice a week.
Despite the unsuitable conditions, Bob was in relatively good health at the time of his rescue. His gentle and affectionate personality quickly became apparent to the IAR team. He had been living among dogs, cats, and chickens and was used to interacting with children, highlighting the level of humanisation he experienced in captivity.
Bob’s owner was initially resistant to surrender him, and it took hours of negotiation involving the Forestry Department and police before the rescue team could secure his release. The journey back to Ketapang was long and bumpy, and at one point Bob had to be moved from his travel cage into the car, where he remained calm and composed throughout.
Since his rescue, Bob has been undergoing quarantine and veterinary checks. He is now part of IAR’s comprehensive rehabilitation program, learning how to be an orangutan again—developing climbing skills, learning to forage, and gradually reducing his dependence on humans. With time, care, and dedication, Bob may one day reclaim his place in the wild.
