Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Deutschland e.V.

What Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Deutschland e.V. does

Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Deutschland e.V. is a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 2001 in Kiel, Germany, and headquartered in Berlin since 2003. Operating with a small staff of 9 employees (3 full-time, 6 part-time), the organization functions as the German fundraising and advocacy arm of the Indonesia-based BOS Foundation, supporting orangutan rescue, rehabilitation, and release operations across two centers on Borneo (Nyaru Menteng and Samboja Lestari), the protection of approximately 470,000 hectares of rainforest, and community development across 38 villages. The organization does not build technology products; its core operations are conservation programs, educational outreach, and donor engagement.

Revenue is generated through multiple donation streams: one-time individual donations, recurring monthly "Orang-Utan-Retter" memberships at €5/€10/€50 tiers, digital orangutan sponsorships (Patenschaft), corporate giving programs, bequests and legacies, e-commerce merchandise sales through BOShop, and eco-tourism revenue from Samboja Lodge. Distribution channels include a German-language website (orangutan.de), email newsletters, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, LinkedIn), earned media via German press, regional volunteer groups (Regionalgruppen), and educational programs for schools. Customer segments span German-speaking individual donors, corporate partners, educational institutions, and volunteers. Key partners include the BOS Foundation (flagship implementing partner), the University of Zurich Tuanan Orangutan Research Project, Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand, Rhino Forest Fund e.V., and Forum Nachhaltiges Palmöl (FONAP). The organization maintains transparency through Initiative Transparente Zivilgesellschaft membership, DZI positive assessment, and annual financial reporting, with administrative costs averaging under 10% of total expenditure.

Name

Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Deutschland e.V.

Legal name

BOS Deutschland e.V. – Borneo Orangutan Survival Deutschland

Website

https://orangutan.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BOS Deutschland e.V. is a German non-profit conservation organization founded in 2001 that supports orangutan rescue, rehabilitation, and rainforest protection on Borneo through individual and corporate donations, sponsorships, e-commerce, and eco-tourism.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation and Habitat Protection

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Rehabilitation & Release Centers (Public Viewing/Education) (THAAAFAC), Conservation Parks & Private Nature Reserves (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Orangutan rescue programs
• Rainforest protection
• Nonprofit charitable donations
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters. Options include single donations, monthly 'Orang-Utan-Retter' (Orangutan Saver) memberships at €5/€10/€50 monthly, and wildlife habitat donations. All profits from BOShop e-commerce sales fund conservation projects.
2. Sponsorships: Digital orangutan sponsorships (Patenschaft) allow supporters to follow a specific orphaned orangutan through forest school to release. The program includes regular updates, development reports, videos, and access to exclusive patron area.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate giving programs where companies can donate specifically for orangutan conservation. Companies receive tax-deductible donation receipts.
4. E-commerce (BOShop): Online store selling orangutan-themed merchandise. All profits directly fund orangutan protection projects in Borneo.
5. Bequests and Legacies: Testamentary gifts and inheritances allow supporters to leave a lasting legacy for orangutan conservation. Testaments can be structured according to donor wishes for species protection benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

BOS Deutschland e.V. is a German non-profit association that funds and supports orangutan rescue, rehabilitation, and release programs on Borneo through individual donations, digital sponsorships, and corporate partnerships. The organization backs two rescue centers (Nyaru Menteng and Samboja Lestari), a forest school for orphaned orangutans, release into protected forests, and approximately 470,645 hectares of rainforest protection. Complementary offerings include a merchandise e-commerce store (BOShop), monthly recurring giving (Orang-Utan-Retter), eco-tourism at Samboja Lodge, and educational programs for German schools.

Product overview

Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Deutschland e.V. is a non-profit conservation organization operating a platform of interconnected programs focused on orangutan rescue, rehabilitation, and rainforest conservation on Borneo. The core offerings include two rescue centers (Nyaru Menteng and Samboja Lestari) providing medical care and long-term rehabilitation, the Waldchule (Forest School) program for teaching survival skills, and the Auswilderung (Release) program for reintroducing orangutans to protected forests. Supporting these core conservation programs are donation products including Orang-Utan-Patenschaft (sponsorship), Orang-Utan-Retter (monthly giving), and Lebensraum spenden (habitat donations). The organization also operates complementary initiatives including Samboja Lodge eco-tourism, the BOShop merchandise store, Waldflieger reforestation, volunteer programs, wildlife corridor creation, community development (Mensch und Natur), and sun bear protection. All offerings work together to achieve the mission of saving orangutans from extinction and protecting their rainforest habitat.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BOShop: Online shop selling merchandise where all profits go to Orang-Utan conservation projects
• Lebenswald

Products and services

• Orang-Utan Rettungszentren (Rescue Centers) Two rescue centers (Nyaru Menteng and Samboja Lestari) on Borneo providing medical care and long-term rehabilitation for orphaned, injured, and trafficked orangutans, preparing them for eventual release into the wild. Currently caring for approximately 360 orangutans.
• Waldschule (Forest School) Rehabilitation program that teaches orphaned orangutans essential survival skills including climbing, foraging, and nest-building to prepare them for life in the wild prior to release.
• Auswilderung (Release Program) Reintroduction of rehabilitated orangutans into protected conservation forests including Kehje Sewen, Bukit Batikap, and Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Parks. Over 560 orangutans have been released since 2012.
• Regenwaldschutz (Rainforest Protection) Conservation of approximately 470,645 hectares of rainforest, rewetting of drained peat bogs, and reforestation of destroyed rainforest areas in Borneo.
• Orang-Utan-Patenschaft (Orangutan Sponsorship) Digital sponsorship program allowing supporters to follow and support an orphaned orangutan throughout its journey from rescue through forest school to release. Includes certificate, development reports, videos, and access to exclusive patron area.
• Orang-Utan-Retter (Orangutan Rescuer) Monthly recurring donation program with tiered options at €5, €10, or €50 monthly to support ongoing orangutan rescue and conservation efforts.
• Lebensraum spenden (Habitat Donation) Donation program specifically focused on purchasing and restoring orangutan habitat, including palm oil plantation conversion and wildlife corridor creation.
• Samboja Lodge Eco-tourism accommodation adjacent to the BOS rescue center in Borneo, providing sustainable wildlife tourism experiences that fund conservation work and educate visitors about orangutan protection.
• BOShop Online merchandise store selling orangutan-themed products with all profits directed to orangutan protection projects in Borneo.
• Waldflieger Reforestation program allowing donors to contribute to planting trees in degraded rainforest areas to restore orangutan habitat.
• Volontärprogramme (Volunteer Programs) Volunteer programs enabling international participants to support BOS conservation work directly on Borneo through hands-on engagement.
• Mensch und Natur (Community Development) Community development initiatives working with local populations on sustainable livelihoods, environmental education, fire prevention, and peatland rewetting. Supports 38 villages in 2025.
• Wildtierkorridor (Wildlife Corridor) Conservation initiative connecting fragmented rainforest areas through palm oil plantation conversion, creating passageways for wildlife movement between protected areas.
• Malaienbärenschutz (Sun Bear Protection) Protection program for rescued sun bears that cannot be released into the wild, providing sanctuary care for approximately 80 rescued sun bears.

Quantifiable outcome

• 560+ orangutans rehabilitated and released into wild habitats since 2012
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• BOS Foundation (BOSF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991Indonesian partner organization founded 1991 in Balikpapan, Borneo by Dr. Willie Smits, Peter Karsono, and others. BOSF operates rescue centers, conducts rehabilitation and release programs, manages protected forest areas, and implements community development projects on Borneo. BOS Deutschland provides fundraising, public relations, project support, and political lobbying in Germany.
• Wildlife Friends Foundation ThailandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThai partner organization collaborating on anti-wildlife trafficking campaigns. BOS commissioned study from Oxford Brookes University on orangutans in Thailand to support prosecution of smugglers and CITES conference advocacy.
• Rhino Forest Fund e.V. (RFF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner in Sabah, Malaysia with years of expertise converting former palm oil plantations to rainforests. Successfully created wildlife corridor between Tabin National Park (123,000 ha) and Lower Kinabatangan (80,000 ha). BOS supports through fundraising and project coordination.
• Forum Nachhaltiges Palmöl (FONAP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman initiative advocating for sustainable palm oil production and sourcing. BOS membership ensures voice for orangutan protection in industry and government circles, working toward effective species protection as mandatory requirement in palm oil cultivation.
• University of Zurich - Tuanan Orangutan Research ProjectcoreTechnology or IntegrationLong-term academic research partnership studying wild orangutan populations in Mawas area, Central Kalimantan. Dr. Maria A. van Noordwijk leads research on female orangutan development and behavior. 16+ years of continuous data collection supporting conservation strategies.
• Indonesian Government and Conservation AuthoritiesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOS works hand-in-hand with Indonesian government, ministries, and conservation authorities (BKSDA) to protect orangutans and their habitat. Rescue missions require coordination with conservation authorities for legal operations.
• Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition (SMACC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational coalition addressing wildlife exploitation on social media. BOS participates in awareness campaigns about primate suffering in tourism content, providing reporting guidelines and educational resources.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Jane Goodall Institute: A globally recognized great-ape conservation and environmental education organization with a German affiliate (JGI Germany). Comparable as a primate-conservation NGO with education and sanctuary/rescue components, though broader in scope across chimpanzee and broader environmental programs.
• NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland): Germany's largest domestic nature conservation association, covering habitats, species, and environmental policy advocacy. Competes for the same German donor pool and addresses overlapping rainforest and biodiversity themes, but as a broad multi-cause organization rather than a single-species specialist.
• IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare): A global animal welfare and wildlife conservation organization with active German operations, addressing wildlife trade, habitat protection, and animal rescue — overlapping with BOS Deutschland's anti-trafficking and species-protection agenda but across many species.
• Greenpeace Germany: Major German environmental advocacy organization with overlapping concerns around deforestation, palm oil, and climate. Competes for German environmental donors and addresses some of the same root-cause threats BOS Deutschland targets (palm oil, rainforest destruction).
• WWF Deutschland: Germany's largest international conservation NGO with broad species and habitat coverage, including orangutan and tropical forest programs. Overlaps with BOS Deutschland on species/habitat mission but at vastly greater scale, brand, and donor base; competes for the same German individual and corporate donors.

Direct peers

• Orangutan Foundation UK: A UK-based charity dedicated to orangutan conservation and rainforest protection, operating and supporting rescue, release, and habitat programs. Comparable as a European fundraising NGO targeting the same endangered species and habitat.
• Save the Orangutan: A Sweden-registered NGO with the same single-species orangutan conservation mission, funding rescue centers and rainforest protection on Borneo and Sumatra. Directly comparable in mission, target donor geography (Northern Europe), and program portfolio.
• Orangutan Outreach: A US-based orangutan-focused NGO funding rescue, rehabilitation, and sanctuary programs in Indonesia. Comparable in single-species focus and fundraising-channel-driven model, though operating in a different donor geography (North America).
• BOS Foundation (BOSF): The Indonesian implementing partner of BOS Deutschland, operating the same two rescue centers (Nyaru Menteng and Samboja Lestari) and conducting the rehabilitation, release, and habitat protection work that BOS Deutschland funds. It is the closest functional mirror — same programs, same animals, same model — though it operates on the ground rather than as a fundraising NGO.

Emerging players

• Vier Pfoten / Four Paws International: An international animal welfare organization headquartered in Vienna with strong German-language presence, operating sanctuaries and rescue centers for wildlife including primates and bears. Comparable in the sanctuary/rescue operations model and overlapping on sun bear and primate protection themes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/bosdeutschland
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BOSDeutschland
• Facebookfacebook.com/orangutanschutz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/borneo-orangutan-survival-bos-deutschland-e.v.
• Instagraminstagram.com/orangutan_survival

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Deutschland e.V.