Malnourished baby orangutan rescued after being fed only condensed milk for 10 months

Budi was being treated by animal welfare group International Animal Rescue and was suffering from stomach disease and stunted growth

Budi is receiving round-the-clock care in Indonesia (ITN)

A heart-breaking video has been released that shows a baby orangutan fighting for its life after being mistreated and malnourished for over 10 months.

The British-based animal welfare group, International Animal Rescue, released the video earlier this week and it shows vets in Indonesia caring for the severely underfed young orangutan called Budi.

According to those at the centre, Budi is so weak he is unable to move or sit-up on his own and requires round-the-clock care to help his recovery.

The 10-month-old primate was handed over to the charity last month by his owner, who had illegally bought Budi as a baby on the Indonesian island of Borneo.

This prevented Budi from getting the nutrients needed for a growing baby and has led to stunted growth and many of his bones becoming deformed.

Alan Knight, the CEO of International Animal Rescue, said: “No living creature should be forced to live in excruciating pain and misery for months on end – least of all a helpless baby orangutan with no loving mother to comfort him.'

"At more than a year old he should have been strong enough to climb and swing: instead he was as helpless as a newborn baby."

Watch More: Elephant and two ostriches saved from poachers
Pilot rescues baby elephant by flying it home

"When our team lifted Budi out of his cage in Kubing in Borneo to prepare him for the journey to our rescue centre ten hours away in Sungai Awan, his eyes literally filled with tears and he cried in agony."

Since Budi's treatment began a few weeks ago, hehas been showing some signs of improvement, with those caring for the animal saying that “his life was no longer in danger.”

IAR director Karmele L Sanchez, leading the team that is nurturing Budi, told the MailOnline: "Since being admitted to our centre just a few weeks ago he has started to make a slow recovery."

She said that he was still suffering from anaemia, metabolic diseases and swollen bones, but that he was improving.

She did warn however, that the care over the next few months is crucial and that it is not known yet what long-term damage has been done to Budi.

Budi is another victim of the international illegal trade of great apes, which, according to animal welfare charity Grasp, sees an estimated 3,000 great apes stolen from habitats around the world every year.

The number of orangutans now in the wild is estimated to be just over 60,000, a number that has shrunk by six times in the last 100 years.

For more information on International Animal Rescue click here