800,000 YEARS

Fossil records show that orangutans have been here on Earth for more than 800,000 years and populations once spread from China to as far as Sulawesi.

BORNEO AND SUMATRA

Today, orangutans in the wild can only be found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, making Malaysia one of only two countries in the world that is home to wild orangutans.

AMAZING WILDLIFE 
MOTHERS

The bond between an orangutan mother and her young is one of the strongest in nature. During the first two years of life, the young rely entirely on their mothers for both food and transportation. The moms stay with their young for six to seven years, teaching them where to find food, what and how to eat and the technique for building a sleeping nest. Female orangutans are known to “visit” their mothers until they reach the age of 15 or 16.

IMPORTANCE AND THREATS

Bornean orangutans are key to a healthy forest ecosystem, which we need for clean air, fresh water, climate change mitigation, soil stability and recreation.

Sadly, orangutan numbers are declining due to:

• Habitat degradation caused by unsustainable logging practices, unsustainable land-use planning as well as forest conversion for agriculture and infrastructure development.
• Fragmented habitats resulting in isolated orangutan populations.

URGENT CONSERVATION EFFORTS

Donate today and help WWF-Malaysia to:

• Carry out restoration of logged-over and fire-impacted forest areas by replanting a mixture of native tree species.
• Promote protection of crucial habitats.
• Increase awareness of orangutan conservation.
• Establish wildlife corridors to maintain wildlife connectivity.
• Allow orangutans to disperse freely around non-forested areas to support gene flow. 
• Support sustainable products such as RSPO certified Palm oil products and FSC certified paper products.