Orangutans are "gardeners" of the forest, playing a vital role in seed dispersal in their habitats. They spread seeds across the rainforest as they travel, maintaining the health of the forest ecosystem.

You might see them as an individual animal species, but the truth is orangutans and humans are very closely related - we share up to 97% of the same DNA. Unlike how socially humans are, they spend most times up in the trees and prefer to live on their own.

Orangutan is currently listed as critically endangered species by IUCN (International Union for Con-servation of Nature), the main reasons being deforestation and animal trade. According to WWF, we have less than 120,000 orangutans left in the world now. 

Why are rainforests important?

The rainforests, also known as ‘the lungs of the earth’, generate approximately 20% of the world’s oxygen. Its amazing ecosystem plays a key role in reducing pollutant levels while also accommodates over half of all plant and animal species on planet earth. However, increasing deforestation and car-bon emissions continue to affect the climate and wildlife, leading to destruction of rainforests around the world.