Hope in the Forest “Looking into the calm, unblinking eyes of an orangutan we see, as through a series of mirrors, not only the image of our own creation, but also a reflection of our own souls and an Eden that once was ours.” – Dr. Biruté Mary Galdikas, Reflection of Eden. 28
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A moment of connection with the rich, deep black eyes of a wild orangutan, red fur glistening in the rainforest’s dappled morning light, is a rare and special privilege. It leaves an everlasting, deep-rooted memory in the hearts of the lucky few who travel far to experience it. Moments like this are getting rarer. Once found throughout Asia, wild orangutans can now only be found in Borneo and Indonesia. Vulnerable to deforestation, unsustainable palm oil corporations, poaching and the illegal pet trade, the Bornean orangutan population has declined by 60% in the past 70 years, leading the IUCN to classify them as ‘critically endangered’. It is thought that they may disappear from the wild in as little as 50 years. Nonetheless, there is hope. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of international wildlife charities, fundraisers, and awareness campaigners, many orangutans whose rainforest homes have been destroyed, or who have been stolen from their families to be illegally kept as pets, have now been offered a second chance at life in the wild. Here we shine a spotlight on the crucial work of one of our friends in Borneo – the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre.
0808 278 5645 or visit wendywutours.co.uk
