World Orangutan Day - 19th of August 2013

I first fell in love with orangutans when I went to Chester zoo in 2011 on a university trip which made part of our BSc in Biology.  During my visit I had the chance to watch a baby orangutan playing with an adult which I assumed was its mother. 

The baby orangutan playing with its mother

This adorable little baby climbed all over the adult and swung from rope to rope. He swung closer and closer towards me until he was right up against the glass pane that separated us. He began showing off by swinging upside down and showing me how agile he was. He pressed his face against the glass and made a funny face. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the moment as my camera was rubbish back then so some of you might not believe me but he was such a cute ginger fur ball!

Since then I have always been interested in them and watched the american series, Orangutan Island on Animal Planet which sadly was discontinued. The show follows the day to day activities of the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Project in Borneo which was founded by Lone Drøscher Nielsen and shows the lives of several orangutans with very unique personalities. It traces the challenges that orphaned orangutans face towards independence and community living so they can be relocated and released into the protected orangutan island. 

Born in Denmark, Lone Drøscher Nielsen is a wildlife conservationist and an ambassador for the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. Her career in conservation began whilst she was volunteering at Aalborg zoo at the age of fourteen.  She has dedicated her life to the conservation of orangutans and permanently moved to Borneo in 1996 to live among them. She is an amazing woman who works tirelessly to save the orangutans and this is very clear from watching her shows. She has a deep connection to the orangutans and some may say she loves them as if they were her children. 

''It was the forest I fell in love with at first. But my love for the orangutans soon followed."

If you are interested in learning more about her or following her work check out her facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/lonedroscher

So, today is World Orangutan Day! 

What is World Orangutan Day?

This year, 2013, is the first time this day has ever been celebrated and there is a special website dedicated to the occasion - http://www.worldorangutanday.org/ and of course a Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/WorldOrangutanDay so make sure you check that out too. 

The day aims to increase awareness of the dangers that the orangutans face due to deforestation caused by the Palm oil industry. On the other hand, It aims to celebrate the work and accomplishments so far.

Why protect the orangutans?

We need to protect the orangutans not only because they are cute...I mean come on look at those faces!

BUT also because between 1992-2000 the Sumatran orangutan population declined by more than 50% with only an estimated 7,000 animals left in the wild. The Sumatran orangutan is not alone! The Bornean orangutan population fell nearly 43 % in the past decade and estimates place their population at about 45,000 animals. Since the last population estimates were done, deforestation rates have continued to climb which means the actual populations could be well below these.

What is the point of the World Orangutan Day?

According to the World Orangutan Day website these are the Wishes they hope will come true when we all help a little bit on World Orangutan Day. 

1. New baby bottles for all the little ones at Borneo Orangutan Survival 

2. Fund the rescue of 4 wild orangutans trapped in a concession by Orangutan Foundation 

3. New tires for the rescue vehicles at Centre for Orangutan Foundation 

4. Plant 10 hectares of degraded forests in Gunung Leuser National Park with Orangutan Information Centre 

5. Release more orangutans with Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme 

6. Support the care of orphans at Yayasan IAR.

Approximate costs to make the Wishes come true - USD$25,000  

The official website is :
http://www.worldorangutanday.org/


So lets keep them smiling!

How you can help?
http://www.worldorangutanday.org/take-action.html

1. DONATE

Some of the public have donated already and the total this morning is $1,460! Why not help us reach our goal of $25,000?

You receive your own 'Thank You certificate' when you donate to the participants in World Orangutan Day!

100% of your donations go direct to the rescue organisations listed on this page. We DO NOT take anything from it so please donate generously from the heart!
www.forests4orangutans.org/donations

If each of you do this, we can raise over $3000 from this page alone!Forests. For Orangutans. Forever.‪#‎WorldOrangutanDay‬

SO!

Tomorrow in celebration of World Orangutan Day, we asking everyone who likes this page to donate just $1 (or £1 or €1) to Orangutan Land Trust, to help give orangutans a future in the wild where they belong.

http://www.forests4orangutans.org/donations/

2. AVOID using products that contain palm oil from unsustainable sources.

For more information on Palm oil and the company and products that contain palm oil visit: http://www.saynotopalmoil.com/palm-oil.php


3. ADOPT an Orangutan


4. Become a Palm Oil Activists 

If you love orangutans and want to take action to protect them then join the movement of Palm Oil Activists and demand that the snack food industry break the link between their products and orangutan extinction!

Take action with Rainforest Action Network. It's simple just email PalmOilAction@ran.org and we'll send you everything you need to pressure snack food companies!
To find out more visit http://www.ran.org/palm-oil

5. Join the FACEBOOK EVENT!!

Bring your friends even if you have to stick 'em all in a wheelbarrow and let's put on a massive show love for orangutans and the people that protect them!

We are talking to corporate donors for this event and its important that they know that a whole lotta people care about orangutans.

Join here and be sure to bring your friends!

6. Show some love!!

Want to show the orangutans how much you love them? Why not create a sign saying so?

Take a photo of yourself holding a card that says " I LOVE Orangutans!" and share it on the official facebook page for World Orangutan Day ! 






7. Make a stand!

Help create legislative protection for orangutans!

Sign and share the petitions we have set up asking our governments to protect orangutans against conventional palm oil!

Take Action here! http://www.worldorangutanday.org/palm-oil-petitions.html

8. Fund raise

Why not pair up with a friend and help fund raise for the Orangutans? You could even make it a competition between you as to who can raise the most money? This can be a fun way to spend the day bonding as well as getting involved in a great cause. You could even get your local school involved. 

9. Pass the message on...

- Tell your grocery store or supermarket
That you are concerned about products in the store that contains palm oil. 

Download this postcard, enter your contact details and leave it with store management or if they have a suggestion box, drop it there. Do this every chance you get!

Download this fact sheet from Rainforest Action Network in case your grocer is unaware.

-Tell your friends, family and colleges!

You can download images to share here...http://www.worldorangutanday.org/spread-the-love.html


Have you contributed to a good cause before? If so, what was it? Do you have a favorite animal day? If so, what is it? Let me know. 

Thanks for reading.