As
the world’s human population grows and the available
land space inevitably decreases, the demand for animal
protein increases. Unfortunately, the great apes of
Africa are becoming the victims of this desire.
Orangutans (Pongo
pygmaeus), arboreal apes found in Borneo and Sumatra, with
great shaggy reddish-brown coats, very long arms, and no tail,
became designated as an endangered species in 1970. These
primates, the largest in Indonesia, live in the think jungle
of these regions. Recent reports estimated that only 15,000-25,000
orangutans in total are left in Borneo and Sumatra.
