Published on January 29, 2018
Even with an Indonesian conservation group recently rescuing nearly 20 orphaned baby orangutans, the problem is only getting worse.
The group, which has rescued 19 baby orangutans this year, says the orphans’ mothers were likely killed by hunters. Deforestation has shrunk their natural habitats, allowing hunters to reach previously isolated areas.
While hunting orangutans is illegal worldwide, they are often targeted for food or killed when they venture onto farmland. Both the Bornean and Sumatran species are critically endangered, as their forest habitats continue to be cut down, leaving them more vulnerable than ever.
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