A message to our supporters

The outbreak of COVID-19 is a truly global challenge and an unprecedented time for all of us.

In our 30 years of work we have never before had to make such adjustments to our working environment both in the UK and in the field for the protection of wildlife and our staff.

As a result of this, for the first time since 1993 the Orangutan Foundation are sadly unable to publish and post out the Spring/Summer edition of our Red Ape newsletter. Unfortunately we are also currently not able to send orangutan updates and correspondence to our supporters in the post, instead we will be extending the membership and orangutan adoption renewals by three months.

We are extremely disappointed that this is a decision we have to make, but as a commitment to our loyal supporters, we will continue to keep you informed of our ongoing programmes via our website, social media, and email updates. If you’re yet to do so, please use the following link in order to subscribe to our monthly e-news messages and stay up to date on our news from the field.

While today’s challenges have resulted in some of our activities to be postponed, our dedicated teams in the UK and in the field are still working hard, and we hope that the next edition of Red Ape we can bring you later in the year will be a very special one celebrating our 30th anniversary.

Our mission is to provide a safe future for orangutans by protecting their crucial forest habitat, but the bedrock of our work has always been our loyal supporters, members and partners. We hope that we can rely on your support and understanding though this challenging time.

We wish the very best to all of our friends and supporters, hoping that you stay safe and healthy.

The Promise of Nature

Dull and grey, those are the two main words used to describe the cities of the world today. My home is a forest, well it is to me, but to everyone else it’s a colossal, unoxygenated, city of grey. Why they cut down trees I don’t know, probably money. Why is money “so” important to people? I really don’t know? It’s stupid that money is so important to the world, it’s not important, you don’t “need” it to live life happily, all you need is friends and family.

Before they cut it down, the forest was happy and lively. My line of family had lived there for generations and by living off the land they all had happy lives, and I did too until the loggers came…they made me and my friends and family leave the forest and everything I knew and loved.

What happened then I can’t and don’t want to remember, but the one thing that I do remember is that before I left the forest, curse those loggers, I filled a duffle bag full of acorns, just in case.

Turns out I did need them.

When I came back to where I came from, it looked exactly the opposite of how I remember. It was dull and grey, and the only animals were depressed, grey pets, rats and flies, the people were the same as the pets, depressed and grey.

I hated it, the city and the people, but worst of all was the grey. I had to do something then I found it, the duffle bag. Of course, I can plant trees, shrubs and flowers all over the city and maybe, just maybe, all over the world!

I started with my street, planting in every crack in the pavement, in gardens and balconies. Bit by bit, the city began to be more colourful and more importantly, the people were starting to talk and laugh together and be happy. At last my home was happy and lively again. I moved on to another city and did the same and another and another and do on until all the cities of the world were the same as the first one, happy and colourful.

By Charles Saunders, aged 9