The Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, Indonesia
Less than 4,000 Sumatran orangutans remain in the wild and at the current rate of decline, the species could be gone in less than a decade – the first great ape to become extinct in the wild. Orangutans are extraordinarily sensitive to both hunting and forest disturbance which make them an ‘umbrella’ species for conservation of the rainforest.
Suherry Aprianto is expanding the work of his Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme to raise awareness of the ape’s plight, lobby decision makers on legislation and enforcement, improve protection and rehabilitate orangutan ‘pets’ back into the wild. Suherry has developed a new information centre, providing talks and lectures to educate the community at all levels. Together with the distribution of educational materials, increased media coverage, and the inception of a local NGO to help campaign for the orangutan’s protection, Suherry hopes to be able to change local attitudes and turn the tide of habitat destruction and abuse which is driving the orangutan to extinction.