A race against time
the pressure is on to save Borneo’s orangutans before it’s too late…
Research shows orangutans have the intelligence of a three-year-old child, but, tragically, more than 3,000 are killed in Borneo, Southeast Asia, each year.
As their natural habitat is wiped out in order to produce palm oil for use in food and cosmetics, the orangutan population has halved in the last 20 years.
Critical action
Vet Dr Karmele Llano Sánchez, who features in this documentary, knew she had to take action after being called to treat pet orangutan, Jojo, in 2009.
‘He was chained up beside a pool of sewage,’ she says.
Meeting Jojo spurred Karmele into founding Borneo’s first International Animal Rescue centre, where Jojo is now looked after, along with more than 100 other rescued orangutans.
‘Ninety-five per cent of orangutans at the centre are babies whose mothers have died when the forests have been destroyed,’ explains Karmele.
The centre gives the youngsters the skills they need to survive in the wild, so they can be released into one of Borneo’s protected national parks.
Uncertain future
But with global palm oil consumption predicted to double by 2050, however, the future seems bleak for the orangutans.
‘Looking at how quickly they are disappearing, caring for every individual is crucial,’ says Karmele. ‘It’s invaluable for their survival as a species.’