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Wildlife appeal · Indonesia & Malaysia

Save Borneo's Orangutans

All three orangutan species are Critically Endangered. Palm oil, mining, and the illegal pet trade are erasing them. Help us grow the rescue network they need.

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Young orangutan in forest rehabilitation centre

~800

Tapanuli orangutans remaining

3

Critically Endangered species

8 yrs

Between births — slow recovery

80%

Habitat lost in 20 years

Why Orangutans Need WARN

Orangutans are the only great apes found in Asia, and they are disappearing fast. Their habitat — the lowland rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra — is being cleared for palm oil, pulpwood, and mining at a rate that existing rescue infrastructure cannot absorb.

When a mother is killed, her infant survives briefly clinging to the body. Those who are rescued arrive at centres severely malnourished, traumatised, and with no skills for forest life. Rehabilitation takes five to ten years. There are not enough sanctuaries.

WARN is working with vetted local partners to expand rescue centre capacity, fund rehabilitation infrastructure, and establish soft-release programmes in protected forest areas. Your gift directly funds this work.

£20

Infant care — 1 day

Feeds, hydrates and provides medical support to one orphaned infant for 24 hours.

£75

Forest school session

Funds one enrichment session teaching orphaned juveniles to climb, forage and build nests.

£250

Post-release monitoring

Covers one month of ranger monitoring after a soft-released juvenile re-enters the forest.

Donate to the Orangutan Appeal

Orangutan FAQ

How many orangutans are left in the wild?
Estimates put the Bornean orangutan population at around 100,000, the Sumatran orangutan at around 13,000, and the Tapanuli orangutan — the rarest great ape on earth — at only around 800. All three species are Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Why are orangutans endangered?
The primary drivers are habitat loss from palm oil, pulpwood, and mining concessions; hunting; and the illegal pet trade. Orangutans are slow-reproducing — females give birth only once every seven to eight years — meaning populations cannot recover quickly.
What does rehabilitation involve for orangutans?
Orangutan rehabilitation is a multi-year process. Orphaned juveniles need surrogate mother figures, forest school (learning to climb, forage and build nests), gradual habituation to the wild, and a soft-release site with post-release monitoring for up to two years.