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Wildlife appeal · Indonesia & Malaysia

Save the Orangutans

All three orangutan species are Critically Endangered. Palm oil, deforestation and the illegal pet trade are erasing the "people of the forest". Help us fund the rescue network they need.

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A young Bornean orangutan hanging by both arms between rainforest trees

In brief

Orangutans live in only two places on Earth — Borneo and Sumatra — and all three species are Critically Endangered. WARN funds local rescue and rehabilitation partners in Indonesia and Malaysia, where orphaned orangutans need years of forest school before they can go home. Your gift helps keep that work going.

Geo-programme: East Kalimantan orangutan rehabilitation & release →

Orangutans are the only great apes found in Asia — yet all three species are Critically Endangered. WARN, a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation, funds vetted local partners for rescue, years-long rehabilitation and soft release in Indonesia and Malaysia, its in-network focus countries. Brazil and Colombia are WARN network countries for other species; orangutan work is concentrated where these apes actually live.

<800

Tapanuli orangutans left — the rarest great ape

3

Species, all Critically Endangered

7–8 yrs

Between births — the slowest of any mammal

~85%

Of the world's palm oil grown in orangutan range

Figures: IUCN Red List; Voigt et al. 2018 (Current Biology); van Noordwijk et al. 2018 (Journal of Human Evolution); industry palm-oil production data.

Why Orangutans Need WARN

Orangutans are the only great apes found in Asia, and they are vanishing fast. Their home — the lowland and peat-swamp rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra — is being cleared for palm oil, pulpwood and mining faster than the existing rescue network can cope. The Bornean orangutan alone has lost more than 80% of its population since 1950.

When a forest falls or a mother is killed for the pet trade, her infant rarely survives alone. Those who are rescued arrive at partner centres malnourished, traumatised and with none of the skills a wild orangutan needs. Rehabilitation takes seven to eight years — and there are not enough places to take them all.

WARN works with vetted local partners to expand rescue-centre capacity, fund rehabilitation, and support soft-release into protected forest. Because orangutans live only in Indonesia and Malaysia — two of WARN's five funded countries — this is core, on-the-ground work, not a distant cause.

What threats do orangutans face?

Five pressures account for most orangutan deaths. They overlap — deforestation opens access for the pet trade, and slow reproduction means populations cannot recover quickly.

Palm oil & deforestation

Indonesia and Malaysia produce around 85% of the world's palm oil. Clearing lowland and peat-swamp rainforest for plantations destroys the forest orangutans depend on and brings them into deadly conflict with plantation workers.

Single biggest driver of orangutan habitat loss (IUCN; Voigt et al. 2018)

Illegal logging & mining

Beyond plantations, logging removes the large trees orangutans nest in, and mining concessions fragment what forest remains. Peatland fires — often deliberately set to clear land — can kill thousands of orangutans in a single season.

2015 Indonesian peatland fires killed thousands of orangutans directly

The illegal pet trade

Infant orangutans are sold as illegal pets and tourist attractions. Because a mother will not surrender her baby, she is almost always killed first — so for every infant that reaches the market, several orangutans typically die.

Every rescued orphan represents multiple wild deaths

Slow reproduction

Females give birth only once every seven to eight years — the slowest interbirth interval of any mammal. Even in perfect conditions a population can grow by at most 1–2% a year, so every breeding female lost to deforestation or the pet trade suppresses a population for decades.

7–8 years between births — slowest of any mammal

Rescue-centre capacity gaps

When forests fall faster than rehabilitation centres can expand, orphaned infants arrive faster than they can be cared for. Rehabilitation takes seven to eight years per animal — a long, expensive commitment that steady funding makes possible.

US$2,000–3,000/year per orphan through rehabilitation (partner estimates)

The Three Orangutan Species

All three are Critically Endangered, and all three are still declining. The Tapanuli, named by science only in 2017, is the most endangered great ape on the planet.

~104,700

individuals remaining

Bornean orangutan

Pongo pygmaeus

The most numerous of the three, yet down more than 80% since 1950. Found across Indonesian Kalimantan and Malaysian Sabah and Sarawak.

~14,470

individuals remaining

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii

Survives almost entirely in the Leuser Ecosystem of northern Sumatra — one of the last places tigers, rhinos, elephants and orangutans still share a forest.

<800

individuals remaining

Tapanuli orangutan

Pongo tapanuliensis

Described only in 2017 and already the rarest great ape on Earth, confined to the Batang Toru forest in North Sumatra.

How do the three orangutan species compare?

The three orangutan species compared
AttributeBorneanSumatranTapanuli
Scientific namePongo pygmaeusPongo abeliiPongo tapanuliensis
IUCN Red List statusCritically EndangeredCritically EndangeredCritically Endangered
Population estimate~104,700~14,470<800
RangeBorneo (Indonesia & Malaysia)Northern SumatraBatang Toru, North Sumatra
Described by science176018272017
Distinctive traitMost numerous; three subspeciesLonger face hair; Leuser EcosystemRarest great ape on Earth

Population figures: IUCN Red List assessments. See sources below.

Quick orangutan facts

Quick reference facts about orangutans
Wild range Borneo and Sumatra only — Indonesia and Malaysia
Combined wild population Roughly ~119,000 across all three species (IUCN estimates)
Reproduction One calf every 7–8 years; 3–5 surviving young per female lifetime
Rehabilitation 7–8 years from rescue to soft release
Annual care cost US$2,000–3,000 per orphan per year; ~US$5,000 per release
Palm oil link ~85% of world palm oil grown in orangutan range countries
DNA shared with humans ~97%
WARN focus Partner-led rescue, rehabilitation and release in Indonesia and Malaysia

Key facts about the orangutan crisis

  • All three orangutan species — Bornean, Sumatran and Tapanuli — are Critically Endangered and still declining.
  • Palm oil and deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia are the single biggest drivers of habitat loss; the pet trade kills mothers to capture infants.
  • Orangutans reproduce more slowly than any other mammal — every breeding female lost suppresses a population for decades.
  • Rehabilitation takes seven to eight years per orphan and costs US$2,000–3,000 a year — steady monthly support matters enormously.
  • WARN funds partner-led rescue and rehabilitation in Indonesia and Malaysia — it does not run its own centres.
  • Brazil and Colombia are WARN network countries for other species; orangutan work is core funded work in Indonesia and Malaysia only.

What does WARN fund for orangutans?

WARN is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation. It does not run its own sanctuaries; it raises funds and makes grants to established rescue and rehabilitation partners, so the maximum possible share of your gift reaches the orangutans.

Our in-network focus is Indonesia and Malaysia — the only countries where wild orangutans live. This is core funded work, not a distant cause.

Focus 1

Rescue & Quarantine

Funding emergency intake, veterinary assessment and quarantine for orphans from the pet trade, deforestation and conflict.

Focus 2

Forest School & Rehabilitation

Supporting the years-long nursery, forest school and pre-release island stages that teach orphaned apes to survive in the wild.

Focus 3

Soft Release & Monitoring

Helping fund transport to protected forest and post-release ranger monitoring to confirm released orangutans are thriving.

Focus 4

Sanctuary Capacity

Expanding partner-centre capacity for orangutans who cannot be returned to the wild — lifetime care where release is not possible.

Palm Oil: The Heart of the Crisis

Palm oil is the most-used vegetable oil on Earth, and Indonesia and Malaysia grow around 85% of it — the exact two countries orangutans call home. Clearing rainforest for plantations is the single biggest reason orangutan habitat is disappearing, and it brings orangutans into deadly conflict with people.

This is not a distant problem for UK and US shoppers. Palm oil is found in roughly half of all UK supermarket products — from biscuits and chocolate to soap and shampoo — usually hidden under other names. What we buy in Britain and America is tied directly to the forests being cleared in Borneo and Sumatra.

Boycotting palm oil entirely often backfires, because it can push demand toward other oils that need even more land. The more effective choice is to look for the RSPO certified-sustainable-palm-oil trademark, favour brands with deforestation-free commitments, and use a palm-oil shopping guide when a label is unclear. Demand for genuinely sustainable palm oil is one of the few levers ordinary consumers hold.

How Orangutan Rehabilitation Works

An orphaned orangutan must relearn everything its mother would have taught it. The journey from rescue to release takes seven to eight years and moves through five stages.

1

Rescue & quarantine

Orphans from the pet trade, deforested land or conflict arrive malnourished and traumatised. Each is quarantined and given a full health check by partner vets.

2

Nursery & baby school

Infants too young to be alone receive round-the-clock care, learning to climb, socialise with other orangutans and try wild foods for the first time.

3

Forest school

Food is no longer pre-prepared. Over several years the young apes master nest-building, canopy travel, recognising hundreds of forest foods and reading danger.

4

Pre-release forest islands

Those who pass forest school move to cage-free river islands for at least a full wet and dry season, proving they can cope with seasonal food shortages.

5

Release & monitoring

After a final veterinary clearance, orangutans are transported to gazetted protected forest and tracked after release to confirm they are thriving in the wild.

Choose Your Gift

Caring for one orphaned orangutan costs around US$2,000–3,000 a year. Pick a tier, go monthly or one-off, and the maximum possible share reaches the orangutans.

Donate £75

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WARN is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation, not a charity, so it cannot claim Gift Aid. The donation case is transparency: low fixed costs and partner-led delivery in the countries where orangutans actually live.

How your donation helps

  • Feeds an orphan today. A small daily gift covers food, hydration and medical support while a rescued infant begins rehabilitation.
  • Funds forest school. Helps orphaned juveniles learn to climb, forage and build nests — skills their mother would have taught over years.
  • Monitors after release. Supports ranger tracking after soft release to confirm rehabilitated orangutans are thriving in protected forest.
  • Goes further monthly. Rehabilitation takes seven to eight years — steady monthly support is what partners can plan multi-year care around.

Five Ways You Can Help Orangutans

  1. 1 Give monthly. A small regular gift funds the years-long rehabilitation a single orphan needs far better than a one-off can.
  2. 2 Choose sustainable palm oil. Look for the RSPO trademark and deforestation-free brands. Your weekly shop is a vote for or against orangutan forest.
  3. 3 Share the facts. Most people do not know there are three orangutan species, or that palm oil hides in half of all supermarket products. Sharing this page spreads that awareness.
  4. 4 Travel responsibly. If you visit Borneo or Sumatra, choose operators with no direct animal contact, a 10-metre distance rule and local community employment — never venues offering selfies or shows.
  5. 5 Learn and teach. Read the full orangutan wildlife guide and our newsroom stories, and pass them on to a classroom, family or friend.
Read the orangutan wildlife guide → Why are orangutans endangered? → Orangutan rescue in Indonesia →

Orangutan FAQ

How many orangutans are left in the wild?
Roughly 104,700 Bornean orangutans remained at the last range-wide estimate, alongside around 14,470 Sumatran orangutans and fewer than 800 Tapanuli orangutans — the rarest great ape on Earth. All three species are Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and all three are still declining.
What are the three species of orangutan?
There are three: the Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis). The Tapanuli was only described by science in 2017, making it the most recently identified — and most endangered — great ape. All three are found only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.
Are orangutans going extinct?
All three orangutan species are Critically Endangered, the highest at-risk category for a species still in the wild. The Bornean orangutan has lost more than 80% of its population since 1950, with over 100,000 individuals disappearing from Borneo between 1999 and 2015 alone. Without sustained intervention, scientists warn these populations cannot recover on their own.
How does palm oil affect orangutans?
Palm oil is the single biggest driver of orangutan habitat loss. Indonesia and Malaysia — the only two countries orangutans live in — produce around 85% of the world's palm oil, and clearing rainforest for plantations destroys the lowland and peat-swamp forest orangutans depend on. Palm oil appears in roughly half of all UK supermarket products, so consumer choices in Britain and the US are directly linked to the forests being cleared.
How can I help orangutans through what I buy?
Check labels for certified sustainable palm oil (look for the RSPO trademark), choose products from brands committed to deforestation-free supply chains, and use a palm-oil shopping guide or app when in doubt. Avoiding palm oil entirely is difficult — it appears under dozens of names — so supporting certified, deforestation-free palm oil is usually more effective than a blanket boycott, which can push producers toward less-regulated oils.
How much does it cost to care for a rescued orangutan?
Caring for one orphaned orangutan through rehabilitation costs in the region of US$2,000–3,000 a year, and returning a fully rehabilitated orangutan to a protected forest can cost around US$5,000 per animal. Because rehabilitation takes seven to eight years, a single orphan represents a long, expensive commitment — which is why steady monthly support matters so much.
How long does orangutan rehabilitation take?
Seven to eight years, on average. An orphaned infant must relearn everything its mother would have taught it: climbing, nest-building, identifying hundreds of forest foods, and avoiding danger. Rehabilitation moves through nursery care, forest school, pre-release forest islands and a final veterinary check before release into a protected area with post-release monitoring.
Where do orangutans live?
Only in the tropical rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia. Bornean orangutans range across Indonesian Kalimantan and Malaysian Sabah and Sarawak; Sumatran orangutans survive almost entirely in the Leuser Ecosystem of northern Sumatra; and Tapanuli orangutans are confined to the Batang Toru forest. They favour lowland dipterocarp and peat-swamp forest below about 1,000 metres.
Why can orangutan populations not recover quickly?
Orangutans have the slowest reproduction of any mammal. Females give birth only once every seven to eight years and raise just three to five surviving young across a lifetime. Even in perfect conditions a population can grow by at most 1–2% a year, so the loss of even a few breeding females to deforestation or the pet trade can suppress a population for decades.
Why are baby orangutans taken for the pet trade?
Infant orangutans are sold as illegal pets and tourist attractions. Because a mother will not surrender her baby, she is almost always killed first — so for every infant that reaches the market, several orangutans typically die. Rescued orphans arrive traumatised and with no survival skills, which is why rehabilitation is so long and so vital.
How closely related are orangutans to humans?
Orangutans share around 97% of their DNA with humans, making them among our closest living relatives. Their Malay name, orang hutan, means 'person of the forest' — a fitting description for an ape that uses tools, learns hundreds of plant species, builds a fresh sleeping nest every night, and recognises itself in a mirror.
Does WARN work directly with orangutans?
Yes. Orangutans live only in Indonesia and Malaysia, two of WARN's in-network focus countries — so this is core funded work, not just education. WARN is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation that channels supporter donations to vetted in-country rescue and rehabilitation partners rather than running its own centres. On-the-ground rescue and release is always led by the local experts who know these forests best.
Does WARN run its own orangutan sanctuary?
No. WARN raises funds and makes grants to established rescue and rehabilitation partners. We fund frontline rescue, forest school and soft release rather than building WARN-branded centres.

Sources & references

Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative intergovernmental and peer-reviewed scientific sources.