Now a days forest fires and Deforestation
is happening worldwide is just like regular phenomenon. Deforestation is
a particular concern in tropical rain forests because these forests are home to
much of the world’s biodiversity. In the case of world largest rainforest,
Amazon around 17% of the forest has been lost in the last 60 years, mostly due
to forest fire, monoculture, mining and illegal logging. Deforestation in this
region is particularly rampant near more populated areas, roads and riverine,
but even remote areas have been encroached upon when valuable mahogany, minerals,
and oil are discovered. As per the
report from WWF11 of the world's most ecologically important forest landscapes,
including forest homes or orangutans, tigers, and elephants will account for
over 80 percent of forest loss globally by 2030, the report states. Up to 420
million acres of forest could be lost between 2010 and 2030 in these
"deforestation fronts" if current trends continue. The hot spots are
located in the Amazon, the Atlantic Forest and Gran Chaco, Borneo, the Cerrado,
Choco-Darien, the Congo Basin, East Africa, Eastern Australia, Greater Mekong,
New Guinea, and Sumatra.
Why I decided to write something about
orangutan?. Yes there are few reasons behind that, we should stand for these
voiceless animals in the world whether there is a possibility to protect or
not, tomorrow it might not be there to do so... The charismatic and intelligent
biggest apes of Asia are saying adieu to the world. The Orangutan / Orang Hutan
is called the men of the forest, not because of word meaning, because of their
similarity and intelligence like human being, they are in the verge of mass
extinction. Other reason is my own personal
experience during safari at BOSF( Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation)
Orangutan’s conservation forest. The experience shocked me and reminding me
about humanity something which we are losing in the present world. I will come
to this heartwarming incident in latter part of this article. Let me give some
brief idea about this biggest apes in Asia.
Orangutan is first on the list of
endangered animals. Due to forest fire and deforestation, many orangutans killed and lost habitat during last decade. Monoculture
farmers are cutting down forest for palm and rubber plantation by illegally.
This leads Orangutan became homeless, Asia’s biggest rainforests disappearing
day by day. Time is running out; it is the time for all of us to take a
collectively action to protect our nature and its assets.
Who are they? Where they live? What is the
status about this species ?
About
Orangutans
The orangutan is one of the largest apes
found in Asia, found only on the Borneo and Sumatra islands. Three co-generic
species, Pongo Pygmaeus, Pongo Abelii and Pongo Tapanulis are reported in
southeast Asia. Most of the orangutans (90%) are located in Indonesia
(Kalimantan, Indonesia) and Sumatra, while the remaining 10% are found in Saba
(Malaysia) and Sarawak (Malaysia).
Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli
orangutans are endangered due to habitat destruction and hunting, frequent
forest fire due to human encroachment, these apes are becoming homeless. As per
the latest survey, it is estimated that the Bornean orangutan population has
been declined by more than 80% over the past three generations, it is huge
percentage extinction of any species in the world. The World Conservation Union
(IUCN Red Data List 2007) is critically endangering both species of orangutans.
Both species are listed in the appendix of the Convention on the International
Trade in Endangered Wild Fauna and Flora. Orangutans are legally protected
under national and international law; however, the rules and regulations alone
are not sufficient to actively protect this intelligent species. The
conservation of orangutans requires the concerted and concerted efforts of all
stakeholders in the region and the political arena to ensure its success.
Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF)
established in 1991, it is an Indonesian non-profit organization, working in
partnership with local communities, the Indonesian Forestry Ministry and
international partner organizations dedicated to protection of the Borneo
orangutan and its ecosystem. The Bose Foundation currently maintains 650
orangutans with the help of 400 dedicated staff, experts in primatology,
biodiversity, ecology, forest rehabilitation, agroforestry, community
empowerment, education and orangutan health care across Indonesia. There are
few more non-profit organizations working seriously to save Orangutan in
Southeast Asia.
The orangutan is the only member of the
giant monkey family found in Asia. All other members of the Great Monkey family
are in Africa; Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), Gorilla (Gorilla Gorilla, Gorilla
Beringai), Bonobo (Pan Paniscus). Found in Borneo Island (Kalimantan), Malaysia
(Saba and Sarawak), Sumatran Orangutan (Ponco Abeli), Indonesian island of
Sumatra and Tapanuli.
The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmyus) is a
large size of the body and is characterized by dark or reddish-brown hair.
Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abeli) are small
in size and have bright orange hair.
Tapanuli orangutans are more similar to
Sumatran orangutans than Bornean orangutans in bodybuilding and hair color. In
all three species, male orangutans are much larger than females, usually two to
three times their weight.
Male orangutans develop large cheek pads
(flanges) that enhance sexual maturity.
Both male and female Tappanuli orangutans
have beards, while male Bornean orangutans have beards.
Bornean
orangutan
The Bornean orangutan is divided into 3
subspecies: the Betung Kerihun and Danau Sentarum National Parks (Betung
Kerihun and Danau Sentarum National Parks) in the north west of the Kapuas
River, along the Pongo pygmaeus. South of the Kapuas River in the Western
Kalimantan of the State of Sarawak (Malaysia) and the East of the Barito River
in the Central Kalimantan. Pongo Pygmaeus Morio is found in Saba and eastern
Kalimantan south to the Mahakam River.
Settlement of Bornean orangutans mostly in
tropical dryland and mangrove forests in the lowlands, up to 500 m of
elevation. The orangutans are the largest arboreal animal, meaning they spend
most of their time in the giant trees. However, orangutans, especially men,
take the time to spend time on ground during travel, they usually travel to
other territories for finding mates. They make a sleeping bed or flatforms with
tree branches and leaves. Orangutans are predominantly moderate eaters,
however, they are reported by more than 100 species of food items, they have a
very broad diet, including flowers, leaves and bark; Rotten, pandans, ginger,
and palm trees and also noticed, Orangutans eat insects, ants, honey, fungi and
in rare cases small mammals. They have a habit of collecting food, so they can
survive in fruitless climates.
Orangutans are lonely by default, with only
a permanent bond between mother and child. However, they reside in loose
clusters with concerned women, which occasionally grow into two, sometimes
allowing for longer periods of feeding, allowing infants to play together,
learn, and share new behaviors. At the age of 15 years, men leave their
birthplace and become sexually mature. Between the ages of 18 and 20, they
become very large and develop secondary sexual characteristics in the cheeks
and large throat bags, which can be used to lure women and to alert other men
and make them sound longer. Males are competing for dominance; however,
non-dominant males constitute a large proportion of infants, especially in the
age group of 15–20 years when males do not reach full size and females are able
to mate. Female orangutans give birth to a baby after eight and a half months
of pregnancy, and another child is not born until the first child reaches seven
years of age. It is the longest inter-birth interval known in the animal
kingdom, enabling the mother to give full attention to her children as she
learns the skills necessary to survive on her own, including making nests,
identifying a variety of food, and avoiding predators etc. Once these skills
have been learned, it is up to the mother to conserve and create a mental map
of the forest, especially to understand where all the important food resources
are, until the time it changes. Orangutans are very intelligent creatures with
advanced problem-solving skills. They can use things in their environment for
equipment and medicines. They exhibit cultural traits, and different
populations treat the same problem in different ways. They learn from other
orangutans and pass on their own skills when encountered, which is frequently
seen when food availability is high.
“Let me Help you? Once Humanity dying in mankind, sometime animals are guide us back to our basics."- Anil T Prabhakar
A glimpse
of my memory
Going out in the woods and taking pictures
in the spare time is a passion, love to grab lovely moments of wild animals
without disturbing them or their habitat. Recently a photo captured during a
safari at BOSF survival forest for Orangutan challenged humanity in me, “how we
are, what we are “.
The biggest fear of the orangutans in the
jungle is the poisonous snakes. BOSF Warden's main task in the Conservation
Forest to clean up rivers, if any report about snakes or predators, warden
should recuse /catch them and take to other place and secure orangutan’s
habitat. I witnessed an unexpected incident during my trekking in the survival
forest.
We were trekking near to the island forest;
we were in the other side of small island, for the guidance and information one
wildlife Guard accompanied with us. He
was explaining the typical character and other important information about
Orangutan and BOSF. Suddenly I noticed another wildlife guard get into the
muddy river.
I asked my trekking guard, why what
happened?
he
replied me, “that warden is doing maintenance work as usual”.
So,
this fellow gets into the river for catching the snake and clearing the grass
and bushes along the banks of river, usually these poisonous snakes are hiding
behind the bushes and grass. While the warden doing his job, I noticed one
female orangutan came closer to banks of river and sat over there and watching
what is this wildlife guard doing. I clicked few closeup photos of
Orangutan. Then the guard is keep
searching snake and cleaning banks of
river, during that time, he struggled to move his legs from muddy floor of the
river, that’s what I think. He was keep trying to pullout his legs and want to
move further, suddenly female Orangutan get up and came closer and stretched
her hand towards the guard, same as she is lending helping hand. This might be lasted about 3 to 4 mins. I was really shocked to witness this unpredictable
gesture from orangutan for a moment. Suddenly I managed to fix my camera and
grab this heartwarming moment. I manage to grab 4 frames of this event, but the
wildlife guard refused this gesture and managed to move away from orangutan.
After the completion of his work, guard get
out from the river and come to us. That time I asked him, why not accept
Orangutan’s offer. He said, she is still wild, he doesn’t know how they
react. Moreover, there is a guidance for
these people to avoid unwanted interaction with them, it may end up with
dangerous situation or the safety Orangutan. More than that they kept these
animals to adopt more wild nature and bring back to main rain forest in the
other side of Borneo Island. Because
these apes rescued from forest fire, hunting, habitat lost due to
deforestation. They brought to here for medication, because these animals
sometime in trauma or wounded or burnt. Once BOSF treat these animals and they
fit back to wild, they will release in the jungle. This is the great service
BOSF doing for survival of this critically endangered species.
Actually, I have taken this photograph on 8th
September 2019. Month of January 2020 I posted this photograph on the social
media such as Facebook and Instagram. There was a thought processing behind
this post. I posted this moment photo with a caption. “Let me Help you? Once
Humanity dying in mankind, sometime animals are guide us back to our basics. Irony of this, we are the human being
destroying their habitat still they are offering helping hand towards human
being. The present world, humans are not helping each other, that kind of
selfishness, egoistic nature building up among people. So we should think and
back to our basic quality, called “Humanity” and protect our values and protect
our nature for better tomorrow. I still believe This is the last remaining hope
for the mankind, we should change our attitude. That is the main thought
processing behind this post, which is widely applauded across the globe. After
viral this photo there is marketing company called SWNS approached me to
collaborate. Giant media group like CNN and BBC telecasted this photo and news.
Few media sector conducted interview to know about this real story of
unexpected moment. I am so happy that this moment just happened to me, I should
thank amity god and orangutan for witnessing this heartwarming moment in my
life. Later on BOSF management contacted me and published a statement about
this incident, and stating about the Name of Orangutan Anih and Name of the wildlife
guard is Syrhul. They are familiar for
quite long and he is the fellow usually going to this Anih’s habitat for
maintenance.
There is one thing that Vaikom Muhammad
Basheer, a renowned writer from India has written in one of his famous work “The Inheritors of the Earth”
(Bhoomiyude Avakashikal), Basheer reiterates the concept of heterogeneity in
this world. The universe is a Noah’s Arc for all creatures in this world. Human
beings are not very much special. Earth is a retreat for ants, snakes, lizards,
termites, birds, bats, worms just like man. This philosophy goes hand in hand
with the tenets of Zen Buddhism. The world is not Man made. Instead man is a
part of the Nature. The problems of Men are the problems of Nature. All things
Man-made must be considered Nature-made and not created by Man. Man has no
right to infringe his ways upon Nature. Man-created things are artificial,
polished and short living. But Nature is rude, innocent, childish, real and
long lasting. The word ‘environment’ is termed as ‘kyogai’in Zen Buddhism. It
comes from the Sanskrit word ‘gocara’or ‘vishaya’which means realm or field
where any action may take place. Zen masters are totally identified with
Nature. Basheer’s main characters have the same approach to Nature and fellow
beings.
"Almighty God, who unites the universe
without a universe, has created a variety of things for his creation - everyone
has the right to eat fruit, roots, grass, corn, flowers, water, air, warmth,
and light. You don't feel like it." Don't you think we should always
remind ourselves that birds, wildlife, and insects are worthy of earth's
produce?
God, how unfortunate that we had to kill
rats in order to survive. Can't humans survive without destroying other life on
earth?
Anil T Prabhakar , 2021
