For an overview of the threats facing orangutans in Sumatra and Borneo, see The Orangutan Crisis. To learn more about specific issues, choose from the topics below.
Huge demand for palm oil is undoubtedly the greatest threat to orangutans. As forests are converted to palm oil plantations, the animals are rapidly losing their habitat. Read more
Hunting for meat and the illegal pet trade take an unusually high toll on orangutans. Read more
Before the explosion of palm oil plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia, logging was the greatest threat to orangutan populations. Read more
Conflict between humans and wildlife is one of the greatest threats to the survival of endangered species throughout the world, including orangutans. Read more
Agriculture is expanding throughout the orangutan's range, fragmenting its remaining habitat. Read more
Illegal gold mining, the pulp and paper industries, climate change, and forest fires are also impacting orangutan populations. Read more