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
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
Read more »
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
Read more »
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
Read more »
Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:
If you are wondering what we talked about during our mini talks, have a look at the following. These are how the exact slides looked liked.
The points put forward were short and simple to make it easier for the primary school students to comprehend.
Read more »
Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:
To everything that is fun, there has to be a not-so -fun side as well. Well, since we have been giving out fun facts, we would also like to share with you some not so fun ones as a contrast to them.
The fun facts were aimed at giving you insight to this wonderful species. These not-so-fun ones are aimed at giving you insight to the threats to the orangutans.
So here goes.. The first 5 on our list are :
Fact number one :
Every minute, every day an area equal to six football fields of Indonesian forest disappears. Note that Indonesian forests are part of the orangutan habitat.
Fact number two:
Orangutans in the entertainment industry do not have social security or pensions to fall back on when they have to retire. Their former trainers and owners do not provide for their needs once they are too old to bring in money.
Fact number three :
Since small orangutans are easier to handle in the entertainment industry they keep breeding orangutans in captivity in order to keep the supply of babies available. After taking them from their mother and using them for our entertainment the orangutans are then set aside when they become to large to handle usually kept in cages too small for them.
Fact number four :
Orangutans used in the entertainment industry are torn from their mothers when born, kept in small cages on the set with nothing to entertain them for enrichment of their lives but forced to perform and “entertain” people many times a day. Their former owners regrettably do not provide them retirement income when they become to large to handle and are turned over to the Center for Great Apes sanctuary in Florida.
Fact number five :
Approximately 1 out of 6 orphaned orangutans is fortunate enough to be rescued.
What exactly are orangutans doing in the entertainment industry??? How would we, as humans, feel if we were treated like that? What are we doing to stop all this? Only WE can make a DIFFERENCE!
 |
| Before you watch an animal show, think about what the performers are forced to go through. |
 |
| Orangutans kick boxing in Thailand while cheering crowds watch and jeer. |
 |
| The abject humiliation an orangutan has to go through being forced to wear human clothes to entertain the audience. Well, it doesn't look very funny to me. |
 |
| The look on his face says it all. |
The above facts and photos to come are sourced from
http://orangutan1.wordpress.com/2008/01/11/not-so-fun-facts-about-orangutans/
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/04/12/2010-04-12_orangutans_kickfighting.html
http://www.caribzones.com/bornfree220204.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/04/12/2010-04-12_orangutans_kickfighting.html
http://www.skytoall.com/popup.php?action=printnews&id=698
Read more »
Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:
.JPG) |
| Our flyer |
This is how the flyer looks like. The one we've been passing round, pinning up, etc.
Read more »
Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:
 |
| A young orangutan grasping a branch with both hands and feet. |
Fun fact number 21
Orangutans travel mostly through tree tops by swinging from one branch to another.
Fun fact number 22
Orangutans cannot swim.
Fun fact number 23
Older orangutans move through tree canopies on all fours whereas younger orangutans brachiate (swing) from branches.
Fun fact number 24
Orangutans in zoos usually weigh more than orangutans in the wild.
Fun fact number 25
Orangutans live in tropical rainforests including hill forests and swamp forests.
Picture taken from
http://animal.discovery.com/mammals/orangutan/
Read more »
Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:
activities,
donation,
fun facts,
mini talks
Added to our list of activities are :
Five Fun Fast facts
People - in - charge :
Rebekah and Noor Lisa
Purpose of activity : Fun facts taken from our blog will be read to the students in order to let them know more about orangutans, the way they live, their habitat, etc.
Mini Talks
People - in - charge : Everyone
Purpose of activity : To convey the message to students in a larger scale using sketches, Powerpoint presentations and Q&A sessions. Our Orangutan merchandise was later sold to raise funds. Donations were collected and petitions were signed
Donation Collection
People - in - charge : Everyone
Purpose of activity : To raise funds through the generosity of the students and public.
 |
| Lisa collecting donations from one of the students |
Read more »
Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:
activities,
petitions,
products
Since the start of the campaign, we have been "releasing" activity by activity. The activities which are being carried out at the moment are as follows:
Sales of orangutan - themed merchandise.
People - in - charge :
Wooi Sze Lyn, Gowri, Shankari, Jia Hui
Purpose of activity : To raise funds through the selling of merchandise, in which, the proceeds will be channeled towards WWF Malaysia at the end of our campaign.
Awareness thru' petitions
Person - in - charge : Noor Lisa
Purpose of activity : To create awareness among our friends, relatives, family members, etc. about the importance of saving the orangutans. When we ask a person to sign, we briefly run by them the importance of saving the species. When a person signs, it means that he/she supports us in our efforts in saving the orangutans. The petition forms will be later sent to WWF Malaysia as well.
Read more »
Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:
And Now! It's time for more FUN FACTS!!
Fun fact number 16 :
An orangutan is technically NOT a monkey. In fact, they are part of the hominid family (shared by humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans), or the Great Apes.
Fun fact number 17 :
Orangutans spend 90% of their time up on trees in the rain forests.
Fun fact number 18 :
The scientific name for orangutans is Pongo pygmaeus.
Fun fact number 19 :
Mothers and their young share a strong bond. Infants will stay with their mothers for some six or seven years until they develop the skills to survive on their own.
Fun Fact number 20 :
Orangutans forage for food in the daytime.
Newborn baby orangutan at the Brookfield Zoo, Chicago with proud mum Sophia.
D.O.B. : October 6, 2008
photo taken from http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/brookfield-zoo/
Read more »
Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:
<<Check out those arms!
Fun fact number 11
An orangutan's arms can stretch to more than 8 feet! That's taller than most of us!
Fun fact number 12
Baby orangutans have many ways of showing what they want and how they feel.
For example :
When they cry when they're hurt and whimper when they're hungry. Amazingly, baby orangutans also show love for their mothers by smiling at them!
Fun fact number 13
Orangutans can make approximately 13 to 15 vocalizations.
Fun fact number 14
Orangutans have a long pouch (more developed in males than females) and use this to make the 'long call' (a short series of vocalizations followed by a bellow that carries through the forest). This sound is used to claim territory, call females and keep intruders away.
Fun fact number 15
Orangutans share almost 97% of human DNA
Picture taken from
http://www.tripmastermonkey.com/archives/lifestyle/july_12_2007_packmonkey_borneo_monkey_mania.php
Read more »
Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:
And for the next five on the list..
Fun fact number 6:
Orangutans like to eat high-calorie fruits.
Fun fact number 7:
Unlike chimpanzees, orangutans DO NOT live in groups.
Fun fact number 8:
Adult males travel alone and mothers are usually accompanied only by an infant and sometimes by an older juvenile.
Fun fact number 9:
Adult males can weigh up to 200 pounds.
Fun fact number 10:
Orangutans are the largest canopy animals
Look out for the next 5 soon!!
Read more »
Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:
Take this quiz and stand a chance to win prizes!!
- What is the biggest threat to orangutans?
- Where are orangutans found?
- What does the word 'orangutan' actually mean?
- How many orangutans are living in the wild?
- How old was the oldest orangutan before it/she died?
- What is the main constituent of an orangutans diet?
How would you contribute in saving the orangutans?
Write your answer in 20 words or less.
Send us your answers to this e-mail address:iluvorangutans94@gmail.com
Contest ends 9 October 2010
Read more »
Posted by: ilou2010 / Category:
To encourage interest in our blog we have decided to start posting fun facts about orangutans on a weekly basis (or more often if we can manage it).
Today, we'll begin with :
Fun fact number 1:
Orangutan is actually a combination of the malay words Orang meaning 'man' and Hutan meaning 'forest'. Therefore an orangutan is a 'man of the forest'.
Fun fact number 2:
Orangutans build roofs using leaves and branches during the rainy season.
Fun fact number 3:
Mature female orangutans prefer to mate with mature male orangutans and typically reject immature ones (Not unlike humans). Mature meaning 'fully grown' in this context.
Fun fact number 4:
Orangutans can remember which trees to visit in the forest during different seasons to get fruit to eat.
Fun fact number 5:
Orangutans can live up to 50 years old (The oldest orangutan , Non-ja, died in captivity at the age of 55 from a brain hemorrhage).
Non-ja, believed to be the world's oldest orangutan died in the Miami Metro Zoo.
Read more »
.JPG)
