How deforestation in Borneo and Sumatra is driving a welfare emergency for wild orangutans.
The orangutan welfare crisis is directly driven by agricultural expansion into their habitat. Animals surviving in isolated forest patches experience food insecurity, reduced social contact, and increased human conflict as they leave shrinking forests to seek food in agricultural areas. Orphaned infants requiring multi-year rehabilitation represent an enormous welfare burden that could be avoided through preventing deforestation. Effective orangutan welfare protection requires addressing the supply chains driving deforestation rather than merely treating the welfare consequences.