Orangutans are the most arboreal of the great apes and among the most threatened. Palm oil expansion and logging destroy their forest habitat, creating a welfare and conservation emergency.
Orangutan welfare crises occur at multiple stages: the destruction of adults in forest clearance, the capture and suffering of orphaned infants in the illegal pet trade, and the years-long trauma of rehabilitation. Infants separated from their mothers by clearance operations suffer profound psychological harm — orangutan maternal bonds are among the longest in the animal kingdom. Sanctuary rehabilitation requires intensive one-on-one care for years. In the wild, fragmented populations face nutritional stress in reduced habitat patches. Addressing the palm oil supply chain is the most high-leverage welfare intervention for wild orangutans.