Indonesia- Borneo- Kumai

We sailed to Borneo, the #2 world's largest island to get a chance to see the endangered great apes who share 97% of our DNA. Orangutans come from Southeast Asia (this includes China), but due to habitat loss they are only surviving in national parks and some remaining wilderness in Borneo and Sumatra.

Our photo's were taken during scheduled park feedings which allows us to get close. Earlier that day we had gone through a walk in the rain forest and encountered a wild orangutan way up in the tree canopy. We stopped to look and to our dismay he was not pleased with our intrusion and he started a cacophony of mean sounds (sounded like a cat growl, it made my hair stand up!) and than he broke off a tree branch and let it fall near us. We took off and let him be as we were in his home!

Upon our 2nd and last feeding viewing we decided to leave early to allow for more time on the river to observe wild monkeys. We were walking away from the feeding platform along the path. Mo, our guide was in front, Gary in the middle and I was in the rear. There was some noise and shuddering in the trees and bush ahead of us. Our guide told us to stop, as he slyly crept forward to see what it was, I was on high alert, I thought it was a leopard. Our guide then in a rush turns back to us and said let's go QUICKLY and he ran in front of me advising us not to look back, eye contact is a sign of AGGRESSION to Apes. We started with a slight jog than a more hurried pace as a 300lb territory alpha male came ambling down the path on all fours. He is too big and bad ass to climb in the trees! I quickly glanced at him with my eyes down and just blindly clicked my camera facing behind me as we ran down and then off the path to give way to the KING. After he passed us he stopped, and turned around to look at us than walked on.

How you can help protect Orangutans.

Stop purchasing products with palm oil in it or buy sustainable wood, paper and palm oil. By purchasing certified sustainable palm oil and FSC-certified forest products, consumers, retailers, traders, and manufacturers help protect orangutan habitat by limiting illegal logging and forest conversion to oil palm plantations.