Save the Forest Human
Humans are without a doubt the most advanced of creatures on Earth, our activities however seems to always pose a mild or serious threat to other creatures on Earth. The 19th day of August is designated as International Orangutan Day, one of the main reasons being that these unique big apes are at the brink of extinction.
Orangutan which means “Human of the forest” in Malay is an arboreal anthropod ape of the genus Pongo which consists of two separate species: The Pongo pygmaeus of Borneo and the Pongo abelii of Sumatra. Further research however revealed that there is a third separate specie; the Pongo tapanuliensis of Tapanuli. And all three species are in danger of being extinct; the Tapanuli orangutan is the most endangered.
Orangutans are unique creatures and very interesting too. They are herbivores living mainly on leaves and fruits, some have been found to be omnivores who would eat insects or meat if they can find one. They are arboreal — they spend more than 50% of their lives on trees swinging from branch to branch. They are the heaviest tree-dwelling animals weighing up to 100kg (220 pounds). They have an amazingly very long arm which spans up to 7ft. They however do not mind eating with their feet and they learn everything from their mums. In captivity, they can live up to 60 years. They also build their nest to sleep in and some have been found to use tools.
Indiscriminate felling of trees and the palm oil industry has however put their lives in great danger as their habitat encroached and greatly threatened. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2016 has designated Orangutans as critically endangered. The main threats they face in the wild include habitat loss, disease and wildlife trafficking. Within the past three decades, the populations of the Sumatran and the Bornean orangutans have greatly declined. Illegal hunting takes between 2,000 to 3,000 Orangutan lives every year. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates that there are barely 800 Tapanuli orangutans left and experts predict that if care isn’t taken, orangutans in the wild may become extinct in 50 years’ time.
At Step -Up Green Climate Warriors Initiative, we join millions of people all over the world to celebrate wildlife, discouraging indiscriminate tree felling or deforestation, wildlife encroachment and animal poaching. We encourage tree planting and reforestation, as well as the preservation of wildlife. It is our responsibility to preserve wildlife for the upcoming generations and the ones after them. It’s International Orangutan Day. Orangutan lives matter.
19 August 2020
Imoikor Joshua
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