In just 50 years, or the lifetime of an orangutan, humans have destroyed half of Borneo’s rainforest and thereby endangered the lives of orangutans. Humans have invaded the rainforests of Borneo, where 90% of all orangutans live, for palm oil farms and coal mines. As a result, two-thirds of the Bornean orangutan populations has disappeared, leading the species to its current critically endangered status. Though it is clearly a conservation crisis, there is still some hope for the primates thanks to the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) foundation.
As the world’s largest orangutan conservation organization, BOS has a mission to save the rapidly diminishing population of orangutans and their rainforest. The nonprofit organization has been working in cooperation with the local community to preserve and restore the area’s biodiversity, and has restored over 500 acres by planting trees that help feed both people and primates. Borneo is home to 6% of the Earth’s biodiversity. BOS does its best to rehabilitate as many orangutans as possible for release into the wild.
Despite these great efforts, it often takes over five to 15 years to prepare these great apes with the necessary skills to survive in the wild, and this is part of the reason they have around 400 residents. They will care for 359 permanent residents as they are too sick, disabled, or docile to be considered for release.
Their important work is a lifeline for Bornean nature and global biodiversity beyond just orangutans fighting back against the damage caused by humans. These great apes will still need a lot of help getting back to where they were half a century ago, but BOS is affording orangutans some precious time and continues providing their species support.
The Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) foundation is fighting to save the orangutans and all Bornean biodiversity by restoring the rainforest.
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In just one orangutan’s lifetime, humans have destroyed 50% of Borneo’s rainforest and two-thirds of its orangutans.
To counter the damage done and preserve life, BOS shelters nearly 400 orangutans, and it can take 5 to 15 years to prepare an orangutan for release. Some will never leave care, but all are given a chance.
BOS is buying time, rebuilding ecosystems, and pushing back against destruction, one orangutan at a time.
Borneo Orangutan Survival: Website | Instagram | Facebook
Source: An Orangutan Sanctuary in Borneo Is Giving the Endangered Primates a Second Chance, Just When They Need It Most
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