These astonishingly intelligent, playful and fascinating creatures differ from us in one especially significant way: their status as a species. Unlike humans, who face potentially dire consequences from global overpopulation, orangutans are in danger of complete extinction.
Prior to globalization, orangutans were a thriving species that filled the rain forests of their native Indonesia. But rapid deforestation has devastated their natural habitat, particularly due to the palm oil industry. Another critical threat is the illegal pet trade; young orangutans are particularly prized — to trap them, poachers typically kill the mother in brutal fashion.
Wildfires also contribute to orangutan mortality. Sadly, however, human activity is mostly to blame for the severe threat to this extraordinary species.