Orangutans are among the world’s most endangered great apes.
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What are the biggest threats they face today? What happens when an orphaned orangutan is rescued, rehabilitated, and eventually returned to the wild? And is there still hope for their survival?
In this episode, we speak with Richard Zimmerman, founder and executive director of Orangutan Outreach, an organization that has been supporting orangutan conservation and habitat protection in Indonesia since 2007.
Richard talks openly about large-scale deforestation in Borneo and Sumatra, palm oil plantations, mining, illegal wildlife trafficking, and human-orangutan conflict.
He also explains what happens after an orangutan is rescued — from quarantine and rehabilitation to Forest School / Jungle School, where young orangutans learn the skills they need to survive in the rainforest, followed by time on **pre-release islands** and, when possible, release back into the wild.
We also discuss the importance of working with local and Indigenous communities, the differences between Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli orangutans, and why protecting their habitat is ultimately the key to their survival.
To support the young orangutans who have lost their mother, we have launched a fundraising campaign called ‘Orphaned Orangutans Finding Their Way Home’. Help them return to the rainforest! 🦧🦧🦧🦧
