Orangutans

2 programs

The WCS Malaysia and WCS Indonesia programs both work on orangutans.

As more of their habitat is logged or converted to palm oil plantations, orangutans continue to decline. Adding to their vulnerability, these apes produce only one offspring every five years or so, live at low densities, and require large home territories—a problem as human activities increasingly fragment their jungle habitats.

Ensuring a future for these apes requires improved law enforcement, expanded protected areas, effective protection of those reserves, and ensuring that logging is done in ways that allow wildlife to survive within forest reserves. WCS is working to implement these conservation measures across the orangutan's remaining range.

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