Yesterday was Kasih's first birthday! It was a HUGE event, and a great turnout. It was so amazing to see over 8,400 people come to the zoo to celebrate with us. Since her birth, she has captured the hearts of everyone who sees her. I could (and have!) spend hours watching her and her family. Watching her grow over the past year has been an absolute joy. She is by far one of the most loved and cherished animals at the zoo. Of course with a face like that, it is impossible not to love her. She is the perfect ambassador for her wild cousins, who are in a very real danger of becoming extinct in the next 5-10 years. Every person she touches, has the power to make a difference.
Not too many people are aware of the crisis that is going on in Indonesia, where Orangutans are from. Their rainforest home is being destroyed at a rate of 6.5 million acres every year. That is equivalent to 6 football fields a MINUTE! Nearly 2,000 Orangs die every year,and thier are only 10-12,000 left on Borneo, and 8-10,000 on Sumatra. Their very slow reproduction rate, combined with rapid loss of habitat, means that the hope is dwindling every day for this beautiful species. The reason the forests are being devastated is to put up Palm Oil plantations. Palm oil is found in 1 in 10 of every supermarket items. IE: cheezits, oreos, granola bars, almost EVERY candy bar, chips ohoy cookies, and many many more. 90% of the world's palm oil comes from Borneo and Sumatra, the only 2 places Orangutans are found. The key is for consumers to find safe alternatives to palm-oil products, including organic products. I simply avoid palm oil alltogether, with high saturated fat, it is not good for you anyway! If you check your labels, you would be surprised at how many things contain it. Hopefully someday manufacturers will find it important enough to refuse to buy thier palm oil from un-ethical suppliers. How far did it go before Tuna companies were required to use dolphin safe nets, and include that fact on their packaging? The only manufacturer I have found to announce where thier palm oil comes from is Paul Newman. His company gets palm oil from Columbia, which is replacing old Coco plantations, making the country a safer place, as well as saving orangs.
Ok, so I got a little carried away, but this is a topic I am extreemly passionate about, so I thought I would spread the word in as many ways I can. Every little bit counts! Thanks for reading!
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