Why in news?
World Orangutan Day is celebrated every year on 19 August. The 2025 theme urged people to save orangutans and the rainforests they inhabit. The day raises awareness about the plight of these great apes, which are facing habitat loss and poaching.
About orangutans
- Orangutans are great apes native to the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo in Southeast Asia. The word “orangutan” comes from the Malay phrase meaning “person of the forest.”
- There are three species — the Bornean, Sumatran and the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan.
- They share around 97% of their DNA with humans, exhibit high intelligence, use tools and show complex emotions.
Ecology and threats
- Orangutans live mostly in trees and have long arms suited to swinging through the canopy.
- They reproduce slowly, with females giving birth only once every six to eight years. This makes populations vulnerable to rapid decline.
- Major threats include deforestation for palm oil plantations, logging, illegal hunting and the pet trade. Climate change and forest fires also reduce their habitat.
Conservation status
All three species of orangutan are classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Conservationists call for protecting rainforest habitats, enforcing anti‑poaching laws, promoting sustainable palm oil and raising awareness among consumers.