Borneo and Sumatran orangutans are critically threatened by palm oil expansion that destroys their forest habitat, making consumer choices and supply chain transparency essential for their survival.
Orangutans rescued from land clearing operations have often witnessed their mothers being killed and experienced severe trauma before reaching rehabilitation centers. The rehabilitation process - teaching wild food recognition, nest building, and appropriate social behavior - is painstaking and welfare-intensive. Released orangutans face ongoing habitat pressure, and their welfare in forest fragments depends heavily on habitat quality and connectivity. Consumer pressure on palm oil supply chains represents one of the most direct connections between individual choices and orangutan welfare outcomes.