World Orangutan Day

Several weeks ago, an Italian member of parliament was called an orangutan by her colleagues. Although this was a racially-charged, insensitive and derogatory remark, I must say: I've met more than my fair share of cheeky, incredibly intelligent and totally adorable orangutans. I would take it as more of a compliment. 

Dozens of adorable babies like this one are orphaned every year and must then be rehabilitated in purpose-built centers like Sepilok, in Sabah, Borneo. Picture thanks to Orangutan Foundation International.

All this to say that two days from now we will be celebrating the inaugural World Orangutan Day!

Orangutans are one of the most iconic symbols of Southeast Asia. The "man of the forest" has been facing extinction for years, but recently, wild populations have plummeted despite repeated efforts from NGOs and government bodies alike.

This paragraph from the front of WOD's website gives startling statistics:

"From 1992-2000, the population of the Sumatran orangutan declined by more than 50% and only an estimated 7,000 animals are left in the wild. The Bornean orangutan population fell nearly 43 % in the past decade and estimates place their population at about 45,000 animals."

This lucky individual was found and sedated for transport and re-release into the wild, into a more viable habitat. Many orangs lose their lives in situations like this because plantations do not yet have adequate organization to deal with it. Image via EVOHE. 

As the Huffington Post outlines in this short editorial, however, orangutans are not safe yet. Bornean populations may sound promising, but they are not stable. Considering a constant influx of deforestation, less and less space is there for the orangutan. Pushed to the edge, many plantations have not yet learnt how to deal with the wild creatures wandering onto their land.

This World Orangutan Day, speak out.

Even BBC can get it wrong! In this Facebook screen capture, they spelled orangutan incorrectly!

A Sad Day in India

Today, WWF reported the death of a translocated Indian Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros in Manas National Park.

Shot by poachers, who took only her horn, the rhino left behind a 15-day-old calf, a declared conservation miracle at the time. There has been no report regarding the future of the calf.

This event highlights, yet again, the direct link between wildlife trade and the demise of world rhino populations.

This is not the first bad news of the year, however. South Africa reports almost 200 rhino killings in this year alone, a far cry of the total 13 lost only years ago. The Sumatran rhino has seen steep declines, now numbering less than 100 individuals in the wild. And for icing on a terrifying cake, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has officially declared the Western Black Rhino extinct.

Rhino horn has no scientifically-proven medicinal value, but is considered "necessary" by the China Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine. (This is not to devalue traditional medicines, as some are truly effective; it is simply understood to be a major factor in the illegal wildlife trade.)

To learn more, be sure to drop by www.savingrhinos.org
Image courtesy of WWF Global.