Tuesday, October 28, 2008

New deal to rescue Borneo orangutans


Orangutan taken in Zoo Negara by Homebiz Photography

AP reported from KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28. Conservationists said today they were planning a big push to protect Borneo's orangutans, pygmy elephants and other endangered wildlife by purchasing land from oil palm producers to create a forest sanctuary.

The deal is meant to help stave off the demise of orangutans, whose numbers have dwindled amid illegal logging and the rapid spread of oil palm plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia, the only two countries where orangutans are found in the wild.

The Malaysian-based LEAP Conservancy group is in talks to buy 90 hectares of tropical jungle land in Sabah from oil palm operators, said Cynthia Ong, LEAP's executive director.

The territory is needed to link two sections of a wildlife reserve that is home to an estimated 600 orangutans, 150 Borneo pygmy elephants and a vast array of other animals including proboscis monkeys, hornbills and river otters.

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3 comments:

redapes said...

This is fantastic news. Let's just hope it happens soon! Orangutans can't afford to wait one minute longer.

To find out how YOU can help protect orangutans, please visit the Orangutan Outreach website: http://redapes.org

Thanks,

Richard Zimmerman
Director, Orangutan Outreach
REACH OUT AND SAVE THE ORANGUTANS!

natural observer said...

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