Terrified Orangutans Saved from Hunters (VIDEO)

A startling video shows an orangutan mother and baby being saved in the nick of time from hunters in Borneo earlier this month. A team from a local orangutan orphanage had been searching the area near a palm oil plantation after reports of systematic killing of the apes. The UK Daily Mail quoted primate scientist Dr. Signe Preuschoft, who was on the scene: “Our arrival could not have been more timely. A few minutes later and the orangutans could have been dead. We discovered a gang of young men surrounding them and both victims were clearly petrified. The gang meanwhile were jubilant in anticipation of their rewards for catching and killing the animals.”

Palm oil companies are alleged to offer a bounty for killing the primates, which are considered to be pests. Orangutan skulls are sold internationally, and the illegal pet industry trades in baby orangutans taken from their mothers. WWF estimates some 200 to 500 orangutans from Borneo are sold into the pet trade every year; inevitably, the mother orangutan is killed when the poachers go after the baby.

NOTE: Some time after this was posted on Sunday night, the video has been marked Private and is unviewable. I have contacted Four Paws for an explanation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjk474jS6J8

Here is an informational video about the Samboja orangutan rescue center:

Workers from the nonprofit Four Paws rescued the animals and transported them over rough terrain so that they could be released in a remote area where they would be safer. The animals were tagged and will be monitored to make sure they can adapt to their new surroundings.

The Bornean orangutan’s habitat has been reduced by some 55 percent in the last 20 years, with a similar decline in the apes’ population. WWF estimates there are only about 40,000 Bornean orangutans left; the population is threatened by loss of habitat, as happens when forests are burned to make way for profitable palm oil plantations.

Tigers, Orangutans, Greenpeace Cheer Mattel in Rainforest Victory

Palm Oil or Rainforests – You Decide

Image: Still from YouTube video via Four Paws, http://www.youtube.com/user/4PFOTEN

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Eternal G.

5:59PM PST on Feb 22, 2012

Oh gotsie!

send a green star

Debbie C.

4:35AM PST on Feb 21, 2012

I'm glad the mother orangutan and baby were saved, but I wish we could have seen the video. The hunters should be ashamed of themselves.

Jackie A.

9:19AM PST on Feb 14, 2012

Wow, would like to see that footage :-(

Carolyn S.

2:39PM PST on Feb 8, 2012

I have no palm oil cleaning or beauty products in my house and spent last 3 years making sure of this. Food is another issue. I salute James C for his obvious concern for this issue BUT I thought a motion had been passed recently for products to be labelled if containing palm oil BUT not until 2015 by which time how much more rain forest carnage will have taken place? It's a start. Also regarding Asda...I have noticed our local Asda sells a great many products in their bakery that are labelled as containing palm oil. Many of their own brand products probably contain it but not labelled, I would like to know which Asda is claiming not to use it? I frequently bore people with the palm oil facts but still they continue to buy their Dove products, their chocolate bars containing it etc etc it's impossible to get the message through.

Gita S.

8:24AM PST on Feb 5, 2012

Thank God, they are saved! Thanks.

ann b.

6:51AM PST on Feb 5, 2012

As usual greedy people trying to make money from killing animals. Buying and selling all such things should be banned.

Carrie Anne B.

4:18AM PST on Feb 5, 2012

thanks for sharing :) glad they were both ok :)

Darla G.

6:52PM PST on Feb 3, 2012

I'm glad they were saved. Wish we could have seen the video of that happening.