Every year on August 19th, conservationists, environmentalists and animal lovers meet to observe World Orangutan Day. The world comes together to raise awareness about the plight of the orangutans, which are among the most intelligent apes on earth, and share about 97% of their DNA with humans. But the survival of this species perturbs the whole of humanity.
Our ‘Old Man of Jungle’
The orangutan is derived from the Malay words orang, meaning “person”, and hutan, meaning “forest”, and belongs to the genus Pongo. The orangutan species are divided into three sub species - Bornean orangutan (P. pygmaeus), the Sumatran orangutan (P. abelii) and the Tapanuli orangutan (P. tapanuliensis). Orangutans are considered a critically endangered species by the IUCN. Orangutans are among the most intelligent primates. They use sophisticated tools and construct elaborate sleeping nests from branches and foliage in the forest each night. The orangutans display significant sexual dimorphism - males weigh up to 75kgs and stand 4ft6in tall and females weigh up to 37kgs and stand 3ft9in tall.
Ecology of Orangutans
The Orangutans mainly inhabit tropical rainforests of Indonesia, Malaysia, and some parts of Borneo and Sumatra islands. They spend most of the day resting, feeding, and traveling. Tigers, clouded leopards, and wild dogs are potential predators of Orangutans.
The predicament of Orangutans
Over the last few decades, the population of orangutans in the wild have plummeted. The orangutans frequently encounter threat of poaching, deforestation, logging, pet trade, and fragmentation by roads in the forests. Orangutans are often killed for bush meat trade which is notable in Southeast Asian rainforests.
The Fight to Save Orangutan
Orangutan conservation is crucial for protecting one of our closest animal relatives, which are critically endangered due to habitat loss, illegal hunting, and the pet trade. Efforts focus on habitat protection, rescue and rehabilitation, anti-poaching, and community engagement.
Habitat protection is vital as deforestation, driven by palm oil plantations in southeast Asia, and, logging, continues to destroy orangutan forests. Conservation organizations work to secure and restore these habitats through reforestation projects, creating safe spaces for orangutans.Rescue and conservation programs like Orangutan Foundation International (OFI), Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF), Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) International Animal Rescue (IAR), The Orangutan Project (TOP), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), Hutan-Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Programme (KOCP), Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Program (GPOCP) are key, saving thousands of orangutans from captivity or conflict zones. Many rehabilitated orangutans are successfully reintroduced into the wild, helping stabilize their populations.
Anti-poaching efforts involve collaboration with local authorities to enforce wildlife protection laws, forest patrols, and dismantling of illegal traps. Education campaigns in local communities also help reduce poaching and human-wildlife conflicts
World Orangutan Day is more than just a day of recognition; it is a call to action to protect one of the closest relatives in the animal kingdom. Our commitment to conservation, sustainable practices, and global awareness will determine whether orangutans endure for generations to come. Let World Orangutan Day inspire us to take meaningful steps toward a future where humans and orangutans coexist in harmony, preserving the beauty and balance of our natural world.
The Feel-Good Factor of Saving Orangutans
As well as celebrating these extraordinary great apes on 19th August, International Orangutan Day, it's important to raise awareness about the need to raise funds to support the challenges facing one of our closest animal relatives. This day highlights the urgent need to protect these remarkable creatures and their rapidly disappearing habitats. But what can we do to help?
As well as fundraising, doing good for others brings a profound sense of fulfilment and joy that goes beyond financial contributions. The feel-good factor of helping others reinforces a sense of purpose and community, reminding us that our actions, no matter how small, can lead to positive change.
But why does doing good boost health and wellbeing? Helping others provides bursts of euphoria called “the helper's high” from dopamine and endorphins, which are released in the brain and increase immunity antibodies, so doing good is officially good for you.
We have some great opportunities for you to boost your wellbeing by embracing the feel-good factor with our fundraising events, The Rainforest Run on 22nd September or our Charity Abseil on 5th October.
Orangutan Conservation: A Collective Effort
International Orangutan Day is not just about awareness, but about action. By reducing our consumption of palm oil, supporting organizations working to protect orangutan habitats, and advocating for change, we can help ensure a future for these magnificent creatures. Each of us has a role to play in protecting the “people of the forest” and their incredible rainforest home. Let us make a difference this World Orangutan Day and beyond.
