Name : Nadia Shifa

NPM : 10620165
Class : 1SA03
Drafting (October 9 - 10th, 2020)

The Last Stand of the “People of The Forest”

Orangutan was the world is largest arboreal mammal which is means “People of the
forest” in Indonesian Language. But Orangutan populations have decreased dramatically on
the two islands over the past century. Now, wild orangutans are limited to only two places in
the world, Borneo and Sumatra. The main reasons why orangutan have decreased is because
of habitat loss and hunting.
When you think about Humans threatening endangered species, you probably think about
hunters, because harming endangered species is illegal. However, the problem faced by the
Sumatran Orangutan is the Government. The majority of the orangutan population is located
in the province of Aceh, at the northern tip of Sumatra. Currently, the Aceh government are
trying to implement a plan to increase logging and expand the area of oil palm plantations
which makes orangutan lost their habitat.
The expansion of oil palm plantations is the most acute threat to the survival of
orangutans. But the pet trade and exploitation of orangutans in the entertainment industry
also added to the decline. Pet trade is one of the biggest threats to orangutans too, the practice
of keeping pets is widespread in many parts of Indonesia although it is illegal to keep this
primates as pets. Humans also exploit orangutans for the entertainment industry. Orangutans
are being forced to work to make money, they are put through harsh and rigorous training so
that they can appear in photographs with visitors, dance on music stages, or perform in circus
shows.
We need to save orangutans from extinction, because orangutans are a keystone species.
As orangutans disappear, it signals the disappearance of thousands of other animals and plant
species in fragile tropical rain forest habitats. Conversely, by saving orangutans and their
habitats, we save those same species that coexist with them. We can save orangutans by
support organizations such as OFI (Orangutan Foundation International), or Health in
Harmony that working to protect orangutans and their habitats. We can also save Orangutans
by avoiding products made with unsustainable palm oil that causing orangutans losing their
homes.
Orangutans are extinct because humans keep destroying animal’s habitat for their own
benefit. Habitat destruction and exploitation makes orangutans lose their habitat, and suffer.
We need to save orangutans and their habitats because they needs to live safely in their
natural habitats, The Orangutans need us.