Background - 10 March, 2006
"Man of the Forests" living in the Paradise Forest of Asia Pacific
A baby orang-utan in Wanariset Samboja sanctuary, Indonesia.
Orang utans are the closest relatives of humans. Their name
means "man of the forest". They are the oldest of the big apes and
the largest animals living in trees. They mainly feed on fruit -
skillfully picking them with their hands.
Orang utangs live in the diverse tropical forests of Indonesia
and the nearby archipelagos that form the Paradise Forests of Asia
Pacific.
They share their home with over 500 species of mammals and over
1,600 species of birds such as the exotic Bird of Paradise, and
around 30,000 species of plants such as Indonesia's giant Rafflesia
flower that can grow up to one metre across.
Many people also live in the forest - in New Guinea alone over
1000 languages are spoken, one sixth of all the languages spoken on
earth.
The biggest threat to the forest is logging, agriculture,
road-construction and forest fires deliberately lit by people to
clear the land for crops.
The ancient forests and their famous animals inhabitants need
your help.
Click here to take action today to help save the homes of these magnificent animals!