Who are the Orangutans?
Known for their distinctive red fur, orangutans are the largest
arboreal
mammal, spending most of their time in trees. Long, powerful arms
and grasping hands and feet allow them to move through the branches.
These great apes share 96.4% of our genes and are highly intelligent
creatures.
Both species have experienced sharp population declines. A century
ago there were probably more than 230,000 orangutans in total, but
the Bornean orangutan is now estimated at about
104,700 based on updated geographic range (Endangered) and
the Sumatran about 7,500 (Critically Endangered). A third
species of orangutan was announced in November, 2017. With no more
than 800 individuals in existence, the Tapanuli orangutan
is the most endangered of all great apes.
Why Do They Need Our Help?
Orangutans are "gardeners" of the forest, playing a vital role in
seed dispersal in their habitats. However, females give birth to one
infant at a time about every 3-5 years, so these species can take a
long time to recover from population declines. With human pressure
only increasing, orangutans face an increasing risk of extinction.
The sources of these external human pressures essentially come down
to:
Deforestation and Hasbitat Loss and Illegal
Animal Trafficking
and Hunting
Orangutans are an easy target for hunters because they're large and
slow targets. They are killed for food or in retaliation when they
move into agricultural areas
and destroy crops. This usually occurs when orangutans can't find
the food they need in the forest.
Moreover, the habitats of Asia's only great apes are fast
disappearing under the chainsaw to make way for palm oil plantations
and other agricultural plantations. Illegal
logging inside protected areas and
unsustainable logging in concessions where orangutans live remains a
major threat to their survival. Today, more than 50% of orangutans
are found outside protected areas in forests under management by
timber, palm oil and mining companies.
How is This is Part of a Greater Issue and How Can I Help?
The decline in population of the orangutan, as well as that of other species that rely upon the natural jungles of South East Asia, provides a sad reflection to our own ignorant way of living. Eating consumable goods that contain palm oil, and supporting companies who inadvertently fund unsustainable palm oil production, whilst convenient, simultaneously increases the demand for palm oil production.
However, boycotting companies that
exploit the convenice of palm oil, whilst is an incredible first
step, won't entirely stop the rate of deforestation, nor be
sustainable for the poulation of South East Asians who rely on the
economy palm oil provides. In order to rehabilitate the natural
jungles of South East Asia, there needs to be heavier regulations
upon palm oil production to enforce sustainability and the
protection of species that inhabit the natural jungles.
In conjunction to this, there must be a cap upon the amount of land
that is designated to the production of palm oil, before it is too
late and natural resources can no longer support the population of
natural species that rely upon South East Asian jungles.