Palm oil is used in everything from cookies and lipstick to paint, shampoo and instant noodles, and indonesia is the worlds top producer. Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil made from the fruit of the african oil palm tree. The former allows the oil to maintain a semisolid consistency at room temperature making it easy to. How your grocery list could be hurting orangutans the dodo. As the world wildlife fund reports, female orangutans are often hunted and killed so that their young offspring can be sold into the exotic pet trade.
Palm oil is the most widely consumed vegetable oil in the world. In indonesia, the palm oil sector was the single largest driver of deforestation between 2009 and 2011, accounting for about a quarter of the countrys forest loss. Indonesias orangutans suffer as fires rage and businesses. Palm oil is colonialism, the industry caused genocide of all indigenous species, a complete destruction of the of the lands natural rain forestswildlife to make room for cashcrops. That is a significant portion of the wild orangutan population which is lostwithout failevery. The oil is popular because it has an exceptionally high melting point and contains primarily saturated fats.
The recent expansion of vast monocrop oil palm plantations in asia, the neotropics, and africa threatens large areas of tropical rain forests. Poaching for the illegal pet trade is also threatening orangutans. Orangutans, elephants, tigers, monkeys and many other animals are critically endangered because their homes are being destroyed. People from large corporations are tearing down thier natural habitat to build palm oil plantations. Some people think all oil palm plantations harm orangutans, but in malaysia, the palm oil industry works to help these animals. The majority of palm oil about 80% is used in the food industry either as a vegetable oil or embedded in other ingredients. Surging global demand for palm oil has fueled massive forest destruction throughout indonesia and. Orangutan land trust sustainable solutions for the long. Palm oil, a product that is found in 50% of supermarket products, is pushing orangutans. The billionaire wrote an educational blog post about the real cost of illegally produced palm oil. In what the guardian calls the worst manmade environmental disaster since the bp gulf oil spill, vast swaths of vital forests in borneo and sumatra are being consumed by fire. Despite those struggles, last year brought hope for these great apes. Aug 21, 2015 this article was originally published by greenpeace international. Palm oil is a vegetable oil derived from the fruit of the oil palm, so it is vegan.
Sep 14, 2017 the palm oil industry is quickly eating up rain forests in indonesia and malaysia as the demand for it increases. In tripa, companies drain the swamp, releasing planetwarming carbon into the atmosphere and clear the forest of its native trees, often setting illegal fires. They kill mothers so that baby orangutans can be sold as exotic pets. The united nations environment programme unep indicated in 2007 that oil palm plantations. Not only is palm oil bad for the environment, and a major cause of climate change, but it is also the leading cause of orangutan extinction. Whats worth more, an orangutan or a box of cookies. Indonesia has approved palm oil concessions on nearly 15 million acres of peatlands over the last decade. The palm oil industry is quickly eating up rain forests in indonesia and malaysia as the demand for it increases. Every year it is estimated that between 1,000 to 5,000 orangutans are killed in palm oil concessions. As palm oil farms expand, its a race to save indonesias orangutans. And the malaysian palm oil industry is working to ensure theres a happy ending for all involved. In indonesia and malaysia, forests are being chopped down to create palm oil plantations.
The main threat to the survival of orangutan populations in the wild is the massive expansion of palm oil plantations in borneo and sumatra. Feb 05, 20 palm oil is a vegetable oil derived from the fruit of the oil palm, so it is vegan. Sharing as i learn about orangutans and the impacts of palm oil use on their populations. This question isnt as ridiculous as it might sound. All feature footage property and cockroach productions orangutan film. The two most affected countries in this expansion are indonesia and malaysia, home of the imperiled orangutans.
They are found only on the islands of borneo and sumatra. We have also made them vegan as why should we only care about orangutans and rainforest. The average annual rate of forest loss in indonesia was 498,000 hectares fao, 2010 from 2000 to 2010 or the equivalent of over 55 rugby fields per hour. Almost 80% of orangutan habitat has disappeared in the last 20 years. A century ago there were probably more than 230,000 orangutans in total, this figure is now quartered. Palm oil both a leading threat to orangutans and a key source of jobs in sumatra. Palm oil the single greatest threat facing orangutans today is habitat loss. Jun 30, 2016 can oil palm plantations and orangutans coexist. It is less closely related to humans than the other three great apes, but is still strangely humanlooking. Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world, having even surpassed soya in terms of usage. We do not store credit card details nor do we share customer details with any 3rd parties.
Its in 50% of all household and food products sold in the west. Since 2012 the team have already captured more than 10 orangutans who found themselves stuck in the palm oil plantations, and fear the number will continue to rise. Palm oil plantations which supply countless food and beauty products are wiping out the orangutans habitat. Problems with palm oil orangutan foundation international. Orangutans saved from palm oil plantation horror youtube. Save the orangutan stop palm oil video dailymotion. Palm oil is the leading cause of orangutan extinction. Palm oil is a cheap, edible type of vegetable oil derived from palm fruit grown on the african palm oil tree. Today palm oil accounts for 35% of world edible vegetable oil production usda, 20 with 85% of this sourced from indonesia and malaysia. After sharing his post online, it is clear branson wont stay quiet about global sustainability issues.
The worlds most popular vegetable oilpalm oilis produced in tropical rain forests everywhere. Founder of virgin, richard branson has once again taken a big step in advocating for animals. Baby orangutan rescued from a life of suffering the dodo. Well thats not everyones cup of tea it may well not be such an incentive for people to think twice about what they consume. Green palm oil deforestation documentary by patrick rouxel. It is found in a wide variety of products ranging from vitamins to chocolate, bread, laundry detergent and even biofuel. How fixing palm oil could save orangutans from extinction. Its an ingredient in shampoo, toothpaste, detergent, frozen microwave dinners, cookies, peanut butter, lotion, makeup and much more. Orangutans face extinction in borneo due to habitat clearing, which is underway across indonesia and malaysia. Orangutans live in the tropical rain forest of indonesia and malaysia. Richard branson wants us to save orangutans by ditching palm oil. Oct 31, 2006 cockroach productions provides exclusive footage and interviews to sky news in their orangutan special report. Save the orangutans is an organization that focuses on preventing the usage of palm oil, the clearing and destruction of the rainforest and preventing orangutans and many other subspecies from going extinct. I have adopted one from wwf, and one day i hope to stop the deforestation of their natural habitat indonesia sumatra and borneo due to excessive consumption and demand for palm oil across the globe.
As palm oil farms expand, its a race to save indonesia. Mar 11, 2015 as palm oil farms expand, its a race to save indonesias orangutans. About palm oil borneo orangutan survival australia. Palm oil both a leading threat to orangutans and a key source. The expanding palm oil industry has been a key driver of this deforestation. Elaine is one of two baby orangutans rescued from palm oil plantations in. While it can be produced sustainably, palm oil made with conventional production methods can lead to unchecked agricultural expansion that threatens forests and wildlife. That habitat destruction is exposing wildlife to more conflict with humans. Feb 22, 2012 orangutans live in the tropical rain forest of indonesia and malaysia.
There are now only 400 sumatran tigers left in the world. Orangutan overview young peoples trust for the environment. Palm oil we are all in this together say no to cruel practices that yield unhealthy crops. Rangtans forest home is being destroyed to clear the way for palm oil an ingredient used to make products for brands like unilever, mondelez and nestle. Logging is an obvious problem for orangutans who spend their lives in trees. Palm oil is killing orangutans industrial equipment news ien.
The sumatran and bornean orangutans rainforest habitats are disappearing at an alarming rate due to deforestation and clearing of the land for pulp paper and palm oil plantations, with the remaining forest degraded by drought and forest fires. Parallels demand for palm oil is destroying the habitat of endangered sumatran orangutans. Indonesias orangutans suffer as fires rage and businesses grow. This article was originally published by greenpeace international.
Deforestation is the primary threat to the orangutan, a species of great ape known for its keen intelligence and the fact that it is the largest animal to live primarily in trees. We wanted to create some alternate products which were palm oil free to prove it was not difficult and to offer some alternatives for people wanting to buy palm oil free products. Even if this video does not give the whole picture the destruction of the orangutans habitat is worth this orangutan palm oil video being made public rather than being banned. The production of palm oil kills off the animals that inhabited. Endangered species threatened by unsustainable palm oil.
Indonesia has the worlds highest rate of deforestation, and millions of acres of rain forest are burned annually to support the logging and palm oil industries. Not just orangutans ive made it pretty clear that my overwhelming motive in investigating the use of palm oil is the preservation of orangutan habitat. Youtube converter of how smart are orangutans 1conv. Figure 5 extent of failed oil palm areas due to seasonal flooding, and identified areas of nonprotected forest that would be suitable and unsuitable for oil palm. The future of the orangutans is in the palm of your hand.
Jan 15, 2020 some people think all oil palm plantations harm orangutans, but in malaysia, the palm oil industry works to help these animals. Truth about palm oil and orangutans palm oil health. Will this palm oil alternative save orangutans from extinction. Deforestation exposes the 30,000 orangutans remaining in the wild to poachers. Over 50,000 orangutans have already died as a result of palm oil in the last two decades through deforestation, forest fires, and easier access for hunters and poachers. Malaysia and indonesia alone provide 85% of the worlds palm oil which is constantly increasing in demand every year. Companies are partnering with environmental groups to aid the red apes, but results are elusive. The effects of palm oil orangutan foundation international. And because of its semisolid state at room temperature much like coconut oil, its a component of a number of products that vegans loveor would like to love. This twoyearold female orangutan is another victim of humans greed for gold, which has been destroying natural forests of indonesia, home for epa and thousands of other orangutans, for palm. Feb 17, 2016 palm oil is the most widely consumed vegetable oil in the world.