Wildlife

Wild Orangutan Palm Oil Habitat Loss

Palm oil expansion into Borneo and Sumatra peatland forests is the primary driver of orangutan population decline.

Key Facts

Orangutan populations have declined by over 50% in the past 60 years
Peat swamp forests destroyed for palm oil plantations are critical orangutan habitat
Orangutans are slow-breeding with females producing one offspring every 7-8 years
Habitat loss forces orangutans into plantation edges where they face killing as pests

Welfare Considerations

Orangutan welfare suffers on multiple fronts from palm oil expansion: habitat destruction causes food insecurity and displacement, plantation conflict leads to direct killing, and orphaned infants enter a rehabilitation pipeline that carries its own welfare costs.

What You Can Do

Use the RSPO Palm Oil app to identify sustainable palm oil products
Choose personal care and food products that use certified sustainable palm oil
Support orangutan rehabilitation and release programs
Advocate for peatland protection in Indonesian and Malaysian palm oil policy