A Facebook friend of mine, who happens to be an orangutan, alerted me that today is Orange for Orangutan day.
The day is part of Orangutan Awareness Week, started by the Orangutan Foundation to bring attention to the challenges faced by wild orangutans, and to offer suggestions on how ordinary people can help.
There are two species of orangutans that live in the rainforests of Southeast Asia, Bornean and Sumatran. Orangutans are the only great apes found outside of Africa. Both species are endangered, due to habitat destruction and illegal poaching.
The once lush forests of Sumatra and Borneo are rapidly being destroyed by loggers to make way for agriculture, with oil palm plantations taking up most of the landscape.
In addition, even though orangutans are protected by law, baby orangutans are captured and sold as pets all over the world.
Go to The Orangutan Foundation at www.orangutan.org, The Sumatran Orangutan Society at www.orangutan-sos.org, to find out how you can help.
Robin Lawless | @robmlaw | emailRobin lives in New York City where she loves to check out all the vegan eateries. When she's not writing for TDIV, Robin enjoys taking dance lessons, reading, practicing yoga, hanging out with her cat Maggie, baking vegan treats, and volunteering at Catskill Animal Sanctuary. Feel free to add Robin as a friend on Facebook.
Photo credit: cc: flickr.com/photos/davelau
