Stop Malaysia From Gifting Orangutans to Palm Oil Buying Countries

Orangutans, one of the most recognized and beloved species of primates on Earth, are also one of the animals facing the greatest risk of extinction as all three species of orangutans are critically endangered, and an average of 2,000 to 3,000 orangutans are killed every year.

Deforestation is currently the greatest threat to the survival of these incredible animals and orangutans have lost over 80% of their habitat in the last 20 years. The ever increasing global demand for palm oil has made an already dire situation exponentially worse as each new palm oil plantation leads to the destruction of thousands of hectares of land and the deaths of countless orangutans.

Malaysia, the world’s second largest producer of palm oil, is facing pressure by the European Union which passed a law last year banning commodities linked to deforestation.

In response to international scrutiny over the substantial environmental harm caused by palm oil production, Malaysia's Plantation and Commodities Minister, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, has recently announced an absurd and extremely problematic plan to start shipping orangutans around the world to trade partners that buy Malaysian palm oil.

Destroying these animal’s homes and then forcing them to live in captivity thousands of miles from their native forests is a ridiculous and cruel idea that does the opposite of proving Malaysia’s commitment to sustainability and ethical palm oil production.

Animals should never be used as political props and all nations should reject “orangutan diplomacy.” Using animals as gifts as a form of “soft-power” is a cruel and outdated practice that must be stopped.

Orangutans are highly intelligent animals to the extent that they have recently been observed using medicinal plants to treat wounds. These deeply complex individuals should not be handed a life sentence behind bars at zoos to greenwash the destruction of their homes.

If nothing changes orangutans could be extinct in the wild within the next 50 years. We need real solutions from the nations that these animals call home, not political theater at the expense of individual orangutans as a distraction from the dire problem at hand.

Malaysia should instead focus their efforts on implementing sustainable palm oil practices, protecting their remaining forests, and investing in orangutan conservation in their natural habitats.

Take Action Now

Please join Species Unite in opposing “orangutan diplomacy” by telling Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Malaysia’s Plantation and Commodities Minister, that orangutans belong in the wild.