Orangutan Palm Oil Welfare | Animal Welfare Hub

How palm oil production drives orangutan habitat destruction and how certified sustainable palm oil can reduce the welfare impact.

Key Facts

Orangutan populations have declined by over 50% in recent decades primarily due to habitat destruction for palm oil
Indonesia and Malaysia together produce over 85% of global palm oil
Habitat destruction causes mass displacement, starvation, and direct killing of orangutans in plantation development
Certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) prohibits clearing of high conservation value forest
Palm oil is in approximately 50% of supermarket products, making consumer choices impactful

Welfare Considerations

Palm oil-driven deforestation causes profound individual suffering for orangutans alongside population-level decline. Habitat clearing kills individuals directly through burning and displacement, separates mothers and infants, and forces survivors into unsuitable secondary habitats where malnutrition and human conflict increase mortality. Certified sustainable palm oil that prohibits high conservation value forest clearing provides a consumer-accessible welfare intervention, though certification enforcement remains imperfect. Reducing palm oil consumption through product choice provides additional leverage.

What You Can Do

Check product labels for certified sustainable palm oil and prefer CSPO-certified products
Support the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and demand stronger certification enforcement
Donate to orangutan rescue and habitat protection organizations in Borneo and Sumatra
Advocate for corporate and government procurement policies that require CSPO sourcing