• mother and baby Sumatran orangutan
    Deforestation,  Endangered Species,  Human Impact,  Palm Oil

    Palm Oil: The Hidden Problems Behind It

    I always dreamed of seeing orangutans in the wild. I knew that they are probably the most intelligent of all the great apes because of their ability to innovate and problem-solve. However, problems with palm oil production greatly threaten their habitat. In 2007, I finally scraped together the money to travel to Borneo. Little did I know, at 53 years old, I would find my passion. My Journey Begins When I landed in Jakarta, beginning my journey to Borneo, a suffocating haze greeted me. My eyes burned, my throat grew raspy, and smoke clung to my clothing and hair. I quickly learned the cause: illegal fires, set intentionally to clear…