Red Ape for Palm Oil? Malaysia Plans To Give Orangutans to Countries That Buy Palm Oil

Orangutans are intelligent creatures mainly found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra in Southeast Asia. They are also known as Red Apes, known for their red fur and long arms, which they use to swing through the trees. Orangutans are considered the closest relatives of humans, sharing approximately 97% of our DNA. 

Malaysia plans to give orangutans as gifts to countries that buy its palm oil as part of an “orangutan diplomacy” strategy to ease concerns over the commodity's environmental impact. The southeast Asian country is the world’s second-biggest producer of palm oil, which is found in more than half of supermarket packaged goods—from pizza and biscuits to lipstick and shampoos.

Global demand for palm oil has been blamed for driving deforestation in Malaysia and neighbouring Indonesia. “Take a defensive approach to the issue of palm oil,” said Malaysia’s plantations and commodities minister, Johari Abdul Ghani. 

Ghani further said, "Instead, we need to show the countries of the world that Malaysia is a sustainable oil palm producer and is committed to protecting forests and environmental sustainability.”

The minister said that giving orangutans to trading partners such as the EU, China and India would “prove to the global community that Malaysia is committed to biodiversity conservation,” likening the strategy to China’s “panda diplomacy.” He also urged palm oil companies to collaborate with NGOs to help preserve and provide technical expertise on wildlife in Malaysia.