Orangutan Day
In order to show our love for orangutans and to recognise the most iconic victim of the palm oil industry, International Orangutan Day has been set for August the 19th.
This day is created to help encourage the public to take action in protecting this amazing species in the wild.
Just a century ago there were more than 230,000 orangutans in total.
However now there are only 7500 Sumatran orangutans, making them a critically endangered species. With many of them living in captivity rather than in the wild.
There are currently only 50,000 to 65,000 orangutans left in the wild, and it's estimated that about 2,000 to 3,000 orangutans are killed every year. This corresponds to 5 to 8 orangutans being killed every day!
Meaning that at this rate orangutans are very likely to become completely extinct within 50 years.
From 1992-2000, the population of the Sumatran orangutan is considered to have declined by more than 50%. Its relative, the Bornean orangutan, population fell nearly 43 percent in the past decade, from 35,000 in 1996 to 20,000 in 2006.
Since these studies were done, deforestation rates have continued to climb which means the actual populations could be well below these.
Something has to be done to save orangutans and that is the reason for International Orangutan Day!
If you’d like to get involved and show your support you can head over to www.redapes.org. Here you can find plenty of information & even a link to sponsor your own orangutan; a fantastic and unique gift for all ages.
This day is created to help encourage the public to take action in protecting this amazing species in the wild.
Just a century ago there were more than 230,000 orangutans in total.
However now there are only 7500 Sumatran orangutans, making them a critically endangered species. With many of them living in captivity rather than in the wild.
There are currently only 50,000 to 65,000 orangutans left in the wild, and it's estimated that about 2,000 to 3,000 orangutans are killed every year. This corresponds to 5 to 8 orangutans being killed every day!
Meaning that at this rate orangutans are very likely to become completely extinct within 50 years.
From 1992-2000, the population of the Sumatran orangutan is considered to have declined by more than 50%. Its relative, the Bornean orangutan, population fell nearly 43 percent in the past decade, from 35,000 in 1996 to 20,000 in 2006.
Since these studies were done, deforestation rates have continued to climb which means the actual populations could be well below these.
Something has to be done to save orangutans and that is the reason for International Orangutan Day!
If you’d like to get involved and show your support you can head over to www.redapes.org. Here you can find plenty of information & even a link to sponsor your own orangutan; a fantastic and unique gift for all ages.
