Orang utans rescued from demand for green fuel

Orphaned baby orangutans are taken to the new International Animal Rescue centre at Ketapang in Borneo
Orphaned baby orangutans are taken to the new International Animal Rescue centre at Ketapang in Borneo
ROGER ALLEN NORTH DOWNS PICTURE AGENCY

Rescue arrived just in time for these orang-utans when a forest in Borneo was bulldozed to make way for a palm oil plantation.

Karmele Llano Sanchez, of the Indonesian branch of the British charity International Animal Rescue, said: “We were appalled at the condition of these orang-utans. All of them had gone through long periods of starvation.”

There is rising demand for palm oil as fuel. The company that cleared the forest, alerted IAR about the animals.

Alan Knight, the chief executive of IAR, said: “The only positive note is that the company did the right thing and contacted us so we could move them.” All are now recovering.