Post by account_disabled on Feb 19, 2024 4:31:47 GMT
Known for their striking reddish-brown fur, orangutans call the rainforests of Southeast Asia their home. “Orangutan,” a name that translates to “Forest Person,” perfectly captures their nature as highly intelligent animals that form deep connections with their young; some even show the use of tools in nature. Unfortunately, the future of these tree apes is threatened by deforestation and poaching, and trafficking attempts have been recorded throughout the region.
As Asia's only great ape, this World Orangutan Day we highlight how orangutans continue to be targeted in the illegal pet trade. From January 2013 to July 2023, at least 161 live individuals were seized in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
The data shows records of 103 seizure incidents involving the confiscation and surrender of orangutans as pets and individuals found in trafficking attempts in the three countries.
The orangutan is native to Indonesia and Malaysia and is largely threatened by habitat loss. However, young orangutans are also targets of the illegal pet trade.
More than half of the orangutans seized in the reco Special Data rded incidents were young. Orangutans only become independent from their mothers after eight years and mothers fiercely protect their young.
In the search for juveniles for the pet trade, it is very likely that many more orangutans were poached or killed than is known from these detected cases alone.”
There were also twice as many seizures and surrenders of illegally possessed pets as trafficking cases.
“This highlights the driving force of exotic pet ownership and how it continues to threaten orangutans. The lawsuit, along with a push to strengthen protection and enforcement at source, must be addressed if these endangered apes are to have any chance of long-term survival.”
All three known species (the Sumatran, Bornean and Tapanuli orangutans) are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species . This last species was recently described by science in 2017; It is considered the rarest great ape species in the world, with a population of about 800 individuals, confined to a restricted range in Sumatra.
Of the three countries studied, Indonesia accounted for the largest share of seizures and West Kalimantan province recorded the largest confiscations and the largest number of orangutans seized .
At least seven smuggling attempts showed international trafficking, involving Kuwait, Russia and South Korea.
While Indonesia recorded the most seizures, records show it has also made some of the most high-profile arrests related to orangutan trafficking in recent years.
Last year, Indonesian authorities in Sumatra dismantled an orangutan smuggling ring . Separately, a former high-ranking government official who was being investigated for corruption was also arrested for illegal possession of an orangutan.
As Asia's only great ape, this World Orangutan Day we highlight how orangutans continue to be targeted in the illegal pet trade. From January 2013 to July 2023, at least 161 live individuals were seized in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
The data shows records of 103 seizure incidents involving the confiscation and surrender of orangutans as pets and individuals found in trafficking attempts in the three countries.
The orangutan is native to Indonesia and Malaysia and is largely threatened by habitat loss. However, young orangutans are also targets of the illegal pet trade.
More than half of the orangutans seized in the reco Special Data rded incidents were young. Orangutans only become independent from their mothers after eight years and mothers fiercely protect their young.
In the search for juveniles for the pet trade, it is very likely that many more orangutans were poached or killed than is known from these detected cases alone.”
There were also twice as many seizures and surrenders of illegally possessed pets as trafficking cases.
“This highlights the driving force of exotic pet ownership and how it continues to threaten orangutans. The lawsuit, along with a push to strengthen protection and enforcement at source, must be addressed if these endangered apes are to have any chance of long-term survival.”
All three known species (the Sumatran, Bornean and Tapanuli orangutans) are classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species . This last species was recently described by science in 2017; It is considered the rarest great ape species in the world, with a population of about 800 individuals, confined to a restricted range in Sumatra.
Of the three countries studied, Indonesia accounted for the largest share of seizures and West Kalimantan province recorded the largest confiscations and the largest number of orangutans seized .
At least seven smuggling attempts showed international trafficking, involving Kuwait, Russia and South Korea.
While Indonesia recorded the most seizures, records show it has also made some of the most high-profile arrests related to orangutan trafficking in recent years.
Last year, Indonesian authorities in Sumatra dismantled an orangutan smuggling ring . Separately, a former high-ranking government official who was being investigated for corruption was also arrested for illegal possession of an orangutan.