As the next part of our Change Makers series, we’re proud to announce our partnership with the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS), an organization dedicated to the conservation of the endangered Bornean orangutan and its habitat. We’ve equipped 100 of their field team members with our activewear caps, designed to withstand the hot and challenging conditions of the Bornean rain forest.
Our societal need for progress always comes at a cost. Deforestation is a huge contributor to climate change, with the loss of tree canopies contributing to a rapid release of stored carbon. This occurs in many habitats around the globe, but one environment that is particularly under threat is the tropical rainforest: a vibrant and biodiverse habitat which is home to one of our closest relatives.

The orangutan is the only great ape native to Asia and the majority of them can be found in our home country of Indonesia. Orangutans have been studied for several centuries now and it is evident that they are very intelligent, social beings. Recent discoveries are even more fascinating; orangutans have been observed to utilize certain tools to extract honey and insects out of tree holes. Some have also been seen using leaves as “gloves” in order to handle prickly fruits. The similarities between our two species are uncanny; the utilization of tools can be traced back to our need for basic convenience and efficiency.

More than just intelligent great apes, orangutans are also a keystone species. A keystone species is an animal that helps to form an entire ecosystem based on their behavior alone; without them their habitat could be completely cease to exist as a whole. 

Our orange-haired relatives are classified as frugivores, a type of animal that often feeds on fruit. Since they consume a wide variety of fruit and are constantly on the move, orangutans are a crucial part of seed dispersal in their habitats. Due to their behavior, orangutans are highly responsible for replanting different types of plants and trees which become vital food sources for other species, making them a crucial pillar for their habitat to thrive. 

That being said, rapid deforestation in Asia is a serious problem that harms the orangutan population. The decline in orangutan population has dramatically increased in the last 50 years; the loss of their forest habitat continues to be a primary issue, causing an 80% drop in population since 1973. Who’s to blame? 

The rising global demand for industrial agriculture is the main culprit; extractive industries consume raw materials found in Indonesia such as coal and palm oil. The area’s palm oil is extremely sought after due to its efficiency, producing more oil per land area than other sites. It contributes to over 40% of the world’s vegetable oil demand, but with this heavy demand, the health of entire ecosystems remains on the chopping block.

Initially, the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation’s goal was to halt illegal international exotic pet trades for orangutans, but as time went by, the threats toward the arboreal apes were constantly growing and they had to take further action.

At BOS, they now focus on a rehabilitation program for the orangutans. Based on their age, orphaned infants will be brought to the nursery, and juveniles will be sent into forest schools, providing surrogate mothers who teach them the necessary skills for life back in the wild.

Climbing, foraging, cracking open fruits, and nest building are all part of the BOS program. They “graduate” from forest school once they are adept at these skills and are then able to be released into the wild. Being weary of humans once the orangutans are older is a necessity – it acts as an extra safety measure once they are back in their habitat to stay clear of humans.

Another mission the BOS has is to repair and conserve the orangutan’s habitat. Their reforestation program started when they first opened their sanctuary in Samboja Lestari, East Kalimantan where they planted their first tree in hopes of creating a secondary forest. 

To expand this mission, they partnered with the RHOI or Restorasi Habitat Orangutan Indonesia, an organization which aims to provide safe forests for all rehabilitated and wild orangutans. They were also able to receive an Ecosystem Restoration Concession from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, a bill that allows the company to control any part of land for the next 60 years. Through this bill, the BOS and the RHOI have the rights to hectares of land where they can focus on reforestation and provide orangutans with the flourishing homes they deserve. 

You can learn more and support the BOS Foundation’s mission here.

Works Cited

1.  Why Orangutans Matter. (n.d.-b). Borneo Orangutan Survival. https://www.orangutan.or.id/why-orangutans-matter

2. Role of Keystone Species in an Ecosystem | National Geographic Society. (n.d.). National Geographic Society. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/role-keystone-species-ecosystem/

3. Cooperation Between Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Germany and Black Star. (2019). Cotton.eu. https://www.cotton.eu/en/engagement/borneo-orangutan-survival/