For the LOVE of OrangUtans

When Your Aid Comes in Handy

Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:

An orangutan reaches through the wire - mesh fence to touch an activist's hand.

Looking at how much orangutans need your help, here are some ways you can lend a hand:

Adopt an orangutan by providing money for his care. The Orangutan Foundation International, for example, offers individuals, families and schools the opportunity to assist in their conservation efforts by "adopting" an orphaned young animal. You'll often receive photos and news about the animal you choose to adopt.

Purchase recycled paper and products made from sustainable timber. Habitat destruction continues to put orangutans in danger. Because eco-labeling can be inconsistent, it's best to not to purchase any type of tropical hardwood to avoid supporting rainforest destruction.

Take an eco-tour to see orangutans. Some organizations offer you the chance to visit and assist refuges. You can help do research on wild orangutans, assist with daily caretaking at the wildlife refuge or simply observe the animals. Creating an environment that makes orangutan survival profitable will help governments and businesses take action.

Buy only sustainable palm oil or products using sustainable palm oil. Conversion of habitats to palm oil plantations has happened across the great ape's habitat. Owners of the plantations clear-cut lowland rainforests, leaving no habitat. Many plantations consider orangutans wildlife pests and kill them when given the chance.

Hold a fundraiser with the donations going to orangutans. Donate the money to one of the conservation organizations and use the occasion to educate others about what they can do to help save endangered orangutans.

Don't buy baby orangutans for pets. For each baby safely transported, experts estimate another three babies were lost. The babies' mothers will have also been killed in the process.

Orangutan sanctuary Wanariset Samboja

Lone Droscher-Nielsen, founder and director of the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rehabilitation Project, said returning orangutans to the wild “is our ultimate objective.’’ She plans to release 75 rehabilitated orangutans into the wild early next year. (Washington Post Photo By Linda Davidson)

The above tips and photos were taken from:

How to Save Endangered Orangutans | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2071625_save-endangered-orangutans.html#ixzz12hxTgMzF
http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/news-and-blogs/news/the-orangutan-s-rainforest-hom/the-orangutan-under-threat/

http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2009/11/27/a_return_to_the_wild_is_packed/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/poll/2008/jun/26/apes.human.rights

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Not So Fun Facts IV

Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:

Yet even more to ponder over...

Fact number 16:

Illegal logging and fires are making the native habitat rain forests of the orangutans disappear at an unsustainable rate.

Fact number 17:

When the rain forest is cut down or burned, orangutans are often forced to enter plantations in order to find food where humans kill or capture them.

Fact number 18:

In Asia there is a big market for orangutan babies as pets.

Fact number 19:

Orangutans are often smuggled to other countries in the large freighters loaded with the very timber that was once their home and many die en route.

Fact number 20:

Illnesses, stress, depression and death are typical of captive orangutans.

Smuggled infant orangutan found dead.

A baby orangutan clings to his dead mother.

Innocent but behind bars.

Photos taken from

http://news.mongabay.com/2005/0918-profauna.html

http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/images/orangutan_report/slides/7_baby_clings_to_dead_mum.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/4918574.stm

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Not So Fun Facts III

Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:

Here are more to reflect about:

Fact number 11:

If this rate of decline continues orangutans in the wild will be extinct in approximately 10 years.

Fact number 12:

When creating plantations it is common to first burn the land. These fires often spread uncontrollably and orangutans are burned to death having no chance to escape.

Fact number 13:

Poachers sell infant orangutans as exotic pets.

I may look cute but that doesn't give you the right to treat me like this!

Fact number 14:

These baby orangutans are often placed outdoors in small wooden cages or chained to poles where they are exposed to the elements such as wind, rain and sun.

Fact number 15:

Poachers eat and sell the flesh of adult orangutans.


Where are the orangutans supposed to go if this continues??

Pictures sourced from:

http://carboncycle.aos.wisc.edu/uploads/images/nasa/157716main_forest_burning_lg_NASA.jpg

http://sallykneidel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/1-baby-orang-standing-Chris-Shepherd-682x1024.jpg

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Not So Fun Facts II

Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:

Let us look at more facts which we should really take note of.

Fact number 6:

Nearly 1,000 orphaned orangutans are in rescue and rehabilitation centers.

Fact number 7 :

Just like humans, orangutans can catch malaria from mosquitoes and even die from diseases.

Fact number 8:

Orangutans have lost approximately 80% of their habitat in the last 20 years.

Fact number 9:

Approximately 1/3 of the wild population of orangutans died during the fires of 1997 and 1998.

Fact number 10:

There were about 20,000 orangutans in Borneo in 1996 and there are approximately 12,000 to 15,000 orangutans in Borneo now with approximately 4,000 to 6,000 in Sumatra at this time.

As you can see, deforestation is happening on a MAJOR scale

No need to chop it all down (as if that isn't bad enough) LETS BURN THE THINGS!

Here's the thing, orangutans DON'T swim. This one was forced to to find food because of the loss of it's habitat.

Photos are taken from :
http://earthtrends.wri.org/images/deforestation_borneo.jpg
http://replantingtherainforests.org/site/images/stories/Borneo/borneo_before_reforestation.jpg
http://img.chinaa2z.com/uploadpic/news/2009/20090612/20090612082845633664/1244766660.jpg

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