Issue 17 | September 2016 BOS Australia | + 61 2 9011 5455 | PO Box 3916 Mosman NSW 2088 From the President… This month we focus on three stories. Secondly, we announce our three. So far we have helped fund Firstly, some confirmation of news participation in an important the release of 222 orangutans back we have suspected for a while. The initiative, The Responsible Palm Oil to the wild. The program has been Bornean orangutan is now classified Network. This network comprises a great success and we continue to as ‘critically endangered’. This is a 16 zoo-based conservation and focus on releases as our first priority. disturbing development and one that wildlife organisation across Australia This month we also acknowledge the inspires us to redouble our efforts. and NZ. After much discussion, we efforts of our administrator Emma Habitat loss is the largest cause and have formulated a way to voice our who moves on to a part-time role sadly, whilst the overall clearing rate concerns about habitat loss due to after six years of wonderful service. appears to have slowed, there are palm oil. We are currently recruiting for a full- still large swathes of valuable forest On the better news front, we have time fundraising manager. being cleared every day. continued with releases. An inspiring Tony Gilding release story is featured on page President Bornean orangutan now ‘critically endangered’ In July we received the devastating populations will become extinct in in the past to catastrophic forest fires news that the status of the Bornean the next 50 years. regularly seen across Indonesia. In orangutan has been reclassified So why has this happened? 2015, more than 20,000 km² of forest from ‘endangered’ to ‘critically were lost to fires, which resulted in endangered’ by the IUCN (the Habitat loss hundreds of orangutan deaths. International Union for Conservation Deforestation in Borneo is occurring of Nature). Illegal hunting and the pet trade at an alarming rate. In the 10 years By 2025, just 9 short years from between 2000 and 2010, the mean Compounding loss of habitat, now, experts predict that 86% of the annual rate of deforestation for surveys in Kalimantan suggest that Bornean orangutan population will Borneo was 3,234 km² per year (or 2,000–3,000 orangutans have been have been lost forever. Putting that a bit less than one football field a killed every year in Indonesian into real terms, this is a decline from minute). These forests are cleared Borneo during the past four an estimated 288,500 individuals to make way for agriculture, due to decades. This represents a loss of in 1973 to a projected total of just population pressures and palm oil 44,170–66,570 individuals, or more 47,000 animals remaining by 2025. plantations. Additionally, the palm than 50% of the original population in just 40 years. Such a rate of killings Furthermore, if the decline continues oil plantations often clear the land is obviously unsustainable. Added at its current rate, some fragmented by burning the forest, which has led to that, Bornean orangutans are very slow breeders and produce on average one offspring every 6–8 years, which explains their extreme sensitivity to hunting pressure. These findings confirm that habitat protection alone will not ensure the survival of orangutans, and that effective reduction of orangutan killings is urgently needed. Note: The information on habitat loss and hunting used in this article has been taken from IUCN: Ancrenaz, M., Gumal, M., Marshall, A.J., Meijaard, E., Wich , S.A. & Husson, S. 2016. Pongo pygmaeus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T17975A17966347. http://bit. ly/2bPJRIe; downloaded on 24 August 2016. www.orangutans.com.au Responsible palm oil network Unsustainable palm oil production to promote the use of CSPO with Clear labelling results in massive deforestation, grocery manufacturers, government We support the adoption of rapid biodiversity loss in tropical agencies and the Australian Recommendation 12 of the ‘Labelling ecosystems, and significant community, to introduce clear palm Logic’ report by the Legislative greenhouse gas emissions. Global oil labelling, and to support the and Governance Forum on Food consumption of palm oil and its genuine achievements of companies Regulation, the Ministerial Forum derivatives is increasing, requiring who are leading the market responsible for food labelling policy urgent conservation action to save in Australasia. habitats and species. Our vision This recommendation would see The network’s vision is that 100% BOS Australia is proud to be all vegetable oils clearly labelled of all products in Australia and New a signatory of the Australasian in the ingredients list of food Zealand are deforestation free. Responsible Palm Oil Network. products. Clear labelling will Through our work, we aim to halt and The network, comprising 16 zoo- enable Australasian consumers to reverse deforestation globally, and based conservation and wildlife distinguish between products that encourage the restoration of forest organisations across Australia and contain conventional or deforestation cover at least to the levels seen in New Zealand, is driving the transition free palm oil, and consequently 2010, and protect the world’s last to Certified Sustainable Palm Oil encourage consumers to demand intact rainforests. (CSPO) by encouraging companies responsibly sourced palm oil. to use only CSPO in all the products Use only 100% CSPO they make and sell. Let your voice be heard This network calls on companies You can sign the petition calling for Our objectives to source and use only RSPO clear palm oil labelling at: The network’s objectives are to Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (100% http://bit.ly/2ca5SCw raise public awareness about palm Segregated) as a minimum, building oil and the connections between towards being verified by the Palm consumer choices and deforestation, Oil Innovation Group Charter. How can you help save the orangutan? By supporting BOS Australia and • The Samboja Lestari project, • Download Taronga Zoo’s Wildlife therefore BOS Foundation, you’re developed and managed by Witness app, and use it when already helping save the orangutan. BOS Foundation, is a unique travelling overseas to report • Every dollar you donate goes reforestation concept in East incidents of illegal wildlife trade: directly to helping BOSA and Kalimantan, Borneo. This once http://bit.ly/1TFnbOO BOSF care for injured and species-rich area had been cleared • Contact the Australian orphaned orangutans: and burnt, leaving it an ecological government and voice your http://bit.ly/1NKyBr0 wasteland. Since 2001, BOS support for clear labelling of • By adopting one of our Foundation has been working to palm oil laws so you can make an restore the rainforest orangutans, you can take comfort over an informed choice when you shop: 2 in knowing that they are being area of around 17 million m . http://bit.ly/2ca5SCw cared for around-the-clock by For as little as $10/sqm, you too Together we can make a difference, dedicated ‘nannies’ who teach can help restore the rainforest at before it’s too late. them everything they need to Samboja Lestari: http://bit.ly/1OZN7Bu know to survive back to the wild: http://bit.ly/1hqBvZA www.orangutans.com.au First release to BBBR National Park In August, BOS Foundation and the This 13th release from Nyaru The convoy left Nyaru Menteng and Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Menteng includes three pairs of took the four-hour route by road to Conservation Agency (BKSDA) mother and baby as well as two Tumbang Tundu. released 10 rehabilitated orangutans males and two females. The babies Upon arrival at Tumpang Tundu, back into the wild. The release were born at Nyaru Menteng and the cages were transferred onto occurred at our new release site in have been reared and taught small boats, and the team took the Central Kalimantan, in the Bukit Baka everything they need by their five-hour river journey upstream Bukit Raya (BBBR) National Park. mothers so they will be able to along the Bemban River to reach the Prior to this release, a ceremony survive out in the wild. release camp located deep in the to symbolically mark the release of On the days of departure, the National Park. The team stopped orangutans took place. The event Orangutan Release team got every two hours to check on the was attended by several VIPs, preparations underway by sedating orangutans. including the Director-General of the release candidates, and loading As both groups were released, Natural Resources and Ecosystem them into their transport cages onto each of the orangutans climbed Conservation (KSDAE), from the transport vehicles. The orangutans the nearest tree and immediately Ministry of Environment and Forestry were transported in two separate moved off to explore their new and his officials, and representatives groups of five orangutans each, three surroundings, free once more, in the from the Central Kalimantan days apart. Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park. Provincial office. Staff changes It is with sadness, but mostly gratitude, that BOSA farewells our longstanding BOSA Administrator, Emma Dunphy. Emma has worked tirelessly for BOSA since 2010, providing effective support to the Committee, developing and improving administrative systems and providing multiple services for our adopters and supporters. Fortunately for BOSA, we are not losing Emma completely, as she moves into a part time administration role, assisting the new Fundraising Manager to transition into his/her role and continuing to provide administrative support for the BOSA Volunteer Enrichment Program. When asked what her highlight has been working for BOSA for the last six-and-a-half years, without hesitation she cited volunteering on the BOSA Enrichment Program at Samboja in 2015 and getting to meet and work alongside the BOSF staff whilst there.