World Orangutan Day feels a little different this year
World Orangutan Day feels a little different this year.
At a time when we should be celebrating orangutans and everything we have achieved together, we are still facing fires around Ketapang.
As you may have seen in the news or on social media, fires are raging across Kalimantan. They are devastating entire landscapes, threatening wildlife and communities, and destroying the forests that so many species depend upon.
I am heartbroken to report that fires are also burning around our rescue and rehabilitation centre, where orangutans are recovering from the trauma of their past experiences. Their safety and wellbeing are our absolute priority.
That is why our teams in Kalimantan are working on the ground, day and night, putting out fires and doing everything they can to protect the orangutans in our care and the forest surrounding them.
But our teams are not only fighting fires around the centre. They are also working to protect wild orangutan populations and the landscapes we have spent many years preserving and restoring, including Pematang Gadung, Gunung Tarak and Sentap Kancang.
The work being carried out by our teams on the ground is nothing short of heroic. They are putting themselves at risk to protect the forests and all the animals and other life within them.
Happy World Orangutan Day.
Thank you to all the teams who continue working on the ground, and to everyone who continues to support the protection of orangutans and their forests.
