The Wildlifelines Foundation has recently uploaded a neat little film clip about the work of Dr Willie Smits, orangutan protector and wildlife specialist.
There is a significant chance that the orangutan, one of our closest relatives, could become extinct within the next 5 years because of human activities and consumer patterns. The biggest threats are deforestation and habitat loss due to an increasing rise in monoculture palm oil plantations. Palm oil is a product used in over 1 in every 10 supermarket products (and in most cosmetics, as it is used to make glycerine). It is seldom listed as palm oil on ingredients labels and is often disguised as ‘vegetable oil’.
For more information about the plight of the orangutan and what you can do to help please visit the Orangutan Page on www.wildlifelines.org and view the clip below.
