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Save The Orang Utans
22 April 2017
Save the Orang Utan
“We are really running out of time. It is going to be too late if we don’t do something quickly, the orang utans will be extinct “says As Karmele Llano Sanchez of International Animal Rescue.
Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
I read that a new report by the Swiss – based IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) claims that mankind’s closest relatives – primates, monkeys and apes are in danger of extinction. The study reveal that an alarming 50% of the world‘s 634 primate species are at threat. In some parts of Asia more than 70% of primates are classified by the IUCN as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. With human population rising to 9 billion, the situation will only get worse with expanding cities and destruction of rainforest for crop and grazing land to meet increased food production.
Orang Utan at Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
These animals, that share the same DNA as humans, may all-too-soon be denied the right to share the land. In both Vietnam and Cambodia, approx 90% of primate species are considered at risk of extinction due to rampant habitat loss caused by hunting and wildlife trade.
Orang Utan in Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
I also saw a TV documentary on the orang utans ‘wild man’ of Borneo. It is truly a remarkable story on the orang utans verses the oil palms in Borneo. Indonesia and probably Malaysia are the countries making billions from its rapidly expanding palm oil industry, but the deforestation is devaesting to the Orang Utans of this world.
Orang Utan at Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Apparently for the past 10 years or so, rainforest have been cut down and burnt for this lucrative palm old industry. Palm oil is a relatively cheap source of vegetable oil. Where there is money to be made, humans forgot about the other so call ‘humans’.
Orang Utan at Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Orang in the Malay and Indonesian language means ‘people’. This human or animal species are literally fighting for their survival. They don’t have any natural predators (as for as I know) and yet they are diminishing. They cannot speak so we human have to do that for them, especially as we human are their only enemy at the moment.
Orang Utan at Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Many indigenous people are not informed that these species are going to be extinct. They and their forefathers have hunted these orang utans for their youngs as pets. Mother orang utans are mostly killed so human can take the baby orang-utan from the wild, as the mother orang utans will always try to protect the baby.
Orang Utan at Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
The business owners of the oil palm plantation see these orang utans as pests as they are probably well educated and realised that killing these animals does not sit well with the community. They see them as pest as they will have to somehow chase them out of the plantation areas to avoid killing them. Well some ‘criminal minded’ businessmen don’t bother….. They just get the labourers to shoot the orang utans.
Orang Utan at Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Maybe it is a case of us, as a community walk with our feet. Many years ago, we walked with our feet to stopped elephant tusks from being sold. If consumer doesn’t buy the ‘Tusk’ products, then the demand for tusk will reduce and I believe that had happened.
Orang Utan at Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysi
As Karmele Llano Sanchez of International Animal Rescue says, “The most important thing right now is that we have to save the forest. If they don’t have forest, they can only spend the rest of their lives in a cage, but what is the future for an orang-utan in a cage? “
Orang Utan at Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
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