Chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans have been living for hundreds of thousands of years in their forest, living fantastic lives, never overpopulating, never destroying the forest. I would say that they have been in a way more successful than us as far as being in harmony with the environment.
Jane Goodall
For the love of orangutans, International Orangutan Day on August 19th spreads awareness about the threat of their extinction. Celebrate these fantastic apes and encourage the public to take action in protecting them.
Since orangutans have 97% of the same DNA as humans, it shouldn’t be a surprise that they are quite intelligent. This fact might explain why the word “orangutan” translates into English as “person of the forest.”
Fun Facts About Orangutan
- In captivity can live up to 60 years
- Orangutans mainly eat fruits and leaves
- Spend most of their time in the trees where they swing from branch to branch
- Can weigh up to 100 kg, which equals 220 pounds
- Have an arm span of 6.5 feet
- There are three species of orangutans, including the Bornean, the Sumatran, and the Tapanuli. Sadly, all three of these species are endangered.
There are currently about 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, and at this rate, orangutans are very likely to become completely extinct within 50 years.
Several organizations are involved in helping to protect orangutans. Some of these organizations include the Centre for Orangutan Protection, the Sumatran Orangutan Society, The Orangutan Project, Orangutan Outreach, and Humane Society International.
On this International Orangutan Day, we extend a heartfelt thank you to organizations like the Orangutan Foundation, who work tirelessly to protect these species, and to supporters like you, who ensure they can continue this vital work.
On International Orangutan Day we can donate to organizations that are dedicated to saving wildlife especially Orangutans and we can share insightful facts and images on social media to spread awareness.
