International Orangutan Day
This banner features an irresistible group of orangutans in Forest School at BOS Nyaru Menteng.
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International Orangutan Day — August 19th — Every Year!
International Orangutan Day is the perfect day to show your love and support for orangutans. This very special day is meant to inspire people everywhere to take action to protect orangutans in the wild and care for orphaned and displaced orangutans being looked after at rescue centers in Borneo and Sumatra.
Like many holidays and celebrations, the origin of International Orangutan Day is the stuff of myth and legend! The exact year that the holiday was established is uncertain — though it was around 10 years ago. And we were there...
The goal of International Orangutan Day is to raise awareness about the predicament facing orangutans in the wild. Orangutans are only found in the forests of Borneo and Sumatra. There are three species of orangutans - Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli — and all three species are critically endangered. The Tapanuli orangutans are the most endangered— with fewer than 800 individuals remaining.
The tropical rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra have been decimated in the past 30+ years — leaving orangutans without enough space to live. Deforestation is THE major threat to orangutans, and if it continues unabated, orangutans will become extinct. Orangutans spend the majority of their time in trees... so without a forest, there can be no orangutans!
Raising awareness by celebrating International Orangutan Day can and will help us increase our chances of saving orangutans!
The greatest threat to the survival of orangutans is HUMANS. Deforestation, illegal hunting and wildlife trafficking claim the lives of thousands of orangutans per year. Orangutan Outreach works tirelessly to help orangutans and we partner with outstanding organizations across Indonesia including: Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, International Animal Rescue Indonesia, Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, and Borneo Nature Foundation.
HOW TO OBSERVE INTERNATIONAL ORANGUTAN DAY
Learn about orangutans
You can celebrate International Orangutan Day by learning everything there is to know about orangutans, including their habitat, behavior, lifespan, and more. Learn more on our FAQs page.
Donate to help protect orangutans!
If you care about orangutans, you'll want to do everything you can to ensure their survival. A donation can go a long way toward making this possible. You can help keep orangutans thriving by generously supporting their care. Orangutan Outreach offers many easy ways to make a donation.
Adopt an orangutan online!
Learn more and select your adoptee on our adoption page!
Create awareness online
Share your ideas and the information you've gathered with your friends, family, and coworkers. You can even start an online fundraiser to raise funds to protect orangutans. The most important thing any of us can do is raise public awareness about the problems that arise from deforestation. An easy action is to share posts from the Orangutan Outreach Facebook Page.
Orangutans Need Your Help!
