On the island of Borneo, forest-dwelling communities have become key to ensuring that orangutans have enough intact forest to survive and thrive down the centuries. Documented by the Nature Conservancy, which is assisting in establishing and equipping these forest communities for conservation, these communities maintain millions of acres of forests for sustainable economic use and […]
Tag: orangutans
Inside the chimpanzee medicine cabinet: we’ve found a new way chimps treat wounds with plants
As it turns out, chimpanzees make pretty good doctors. For decades, scientists have been studying what chimpanzees do when they fall ill. This search has led to the identification of medicinal behaviour, which often involves the ingestion of plants with chemical or physical properties that can help the animal’s recovery. My team’s recent study in […]
Wildlife crime crackdown in jeopardy worldwide after US funding cuts
In 2019, Malawi registered a massive win in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade. Intelligence-driven operations culminated in the arrest of more than a dozen members of the Chinese-led “Lin-Zhang gang,” one of Southern Africa’s most prolific trafficking syndicates. Found to be in possession of hundreds of pieces of elephant ivory, rhino horn, pangolin […]
Thai man arrested for smuggling baby orang utans
BANGKOK – Thai police have arrested a man suspected of smuggling two baby orang utans into the kingdom, they said on May 15, in a case linked to an international wildlife trafficking network. The 47-year-old suspect was detained on the evening of May 14 at a petrol station in a residential district of Bangkok while […]
Crows Only Known Animals Other Than Humans That Can Differentiate Between Geometric Shapes
Crows are widely known to be one of the most intelligent animals on the planet, along with elephants, chimpanzees, orangutans and dolphins. A new study has revealed that at least one crow species can recognize regularity in geometric shapes — the ability to pick out a shape that differs from others — a skill previously […]
Three Orangutans Rescued from Illegal Captivity Finally Returned to Their Forest Realm
In a heartwarming milestone for great ape conservation, Mary, a rescued orphaned orangutan, has been released into the jungles of Borneo following rehabilitation. After spending four years at the Bornean Orangutan Rescue Alliance (BORA) Rescue and Rehabilitation Center learning how to survive independently in the jungle, she has been allowed to return to her home […]
Relocation of Wild Orangutans Often Threatens Their Survival: Study
Authorities in Indonesia and Malaysia frequently relocate wild orangutans, which can leave them hungry, lost and in conflict with established residents. Many displaced orangutans make the journey back home, sometimes over 60 miles to the areas where they were raised. According to a new study, there are several reasons for orangutan relocation: If they are […]
Thousands of birds seized in massive Indonesian bird-trafficking bust
Authorities in Indonesia have rescued more than 6,500 wild birds being trafficked from the island of Sumatra and destined for Java, in what’s been hailed as the single largest seizure of its kind in the country’s modern history. Quarantine authorities at the port of Bakauheni in Lampung province, the main crossing point from Sumatra to […]