Conservationists say the rare Sumatran orangutan could be wiped out within weeks.

steddyeddy

Sad news reported by the daily mail. The destruction of the forests of Tripa in Sumatra due to palm oil plantations. It would be shame to see these creatures go extinct. Many orangutans are burnt alive in order to steer them away from palm oil plantations where they are considered pests.

Now the new threat to the Sumatran orangutan has erupted in the officially protected Tripa forest, which is hemmed in by palm oil plantations.

Land clearing fires have been started inside the forest, resulting in the animals fleeing - but hundreds are feared to have died in the flames because Indonesians in the employ of the palm oil companies have been accused of driving them back into the flames.
Dr Singleton, originally from Hull, said the remaining orangutans will die either in the fires or of gradual starvation and malnutrition as their food resources disappear.
He added: ‘We are currently watching a global tragedy.’

Hundreds of orangutans are believed to have died in fires deliberately lit by palm oil companies.


‘It is no longer several years away, but just a few months or even weeks before this iconic creature disappears,’ said Briton Ian Singleton, of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme.

The apes, which live in the Tripa forest on the coast of Aceh province in northern Indonesia, have had to flee the flames as fires wipe out their habitat – and palm oil companies have been blamed for starting the blazes.
The companies have already been accused of offering a bounty for the heads of orang-utans in Borneo after blaming the animals for destroying their young palm trees - but conservationists say the animals have had to encroach on the plantations because their own habitats have been destroyed.
The Daily Mail revealed the bounty hunt earlier this year with a sad photo of a mother trying to protect her baby as Indonesian palm oil workers moved in for the kill.

Fortunately on that occasion wildlife officials were on hand to rescue the pair and move them to a safe area.

Birdnuts

With the Sumatran Tiger, Rhino etc. hot on their heals!!. Many conservationists thought that when the Suharto regime fell in 98' that the future for Indonesia's forests and wildlife would be brighter after decades of ruthless exploitation by corporate friends of the regime. Sadly things appear to be getting even worse in that regard:(

Adam Khor

Maybe its time to capture all the remaining ones and take them somewhere safe. Desperate times...

Cork boy 55

230 million of them go back to 1950 and it was 90 million
by 2050 288 million

Their current GDP per capita is only $2000

now imagine the environmental impact of 288 million Indonesians at $20,000 per capita

There won't be a tree left.

Whats the sustainable earth human population of that territory ?

Hollzy

Wow, I feel sick after reading that. Imagine burning an animal alive... I agree with Adam. It seems that capturing the remaining orangutans and transporting them is the best option now. Select some well reputed zoos and reserves for breeding and hope that in the future things will be better....

The public need to become more aware of these palm oil plantations and the horrible truth associated with them. And which products contain palm oil from such sources...

Birdnuts

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/cameroon-palm-oil.html