The Last Stand of the Orangutan

ORANGUTAN UPDATE: SITUATION DETERIORATING

To conserve the priority populations of orangutans identified as crucial for the species’ survival, it is critical to tackle the loss of forest cover within their range. Indonesian forests are being de- stroyed or degraded by (1) illegal logging for timber, pulp, paper and plywood; (2) conversion to industrial timber and crop planta- tions, such as oil palm; (3) clearing for small-scale shifting cultiva- tion; and (4) fire (Schroeder-Wildberg and Carius 2003). The trade in wood products and palm oil is largely conducted by multina- tional networks based in Asia, Europe and North America.

14