After the success of their campaign against Nestlé, who were sourcing unsustainable palm oil from companies including Sinar Mas, Greenpeace are now taking on the bank HSBC - read more and take action here. Greenpeace reveal that HSBC are providing financial services to Sinar Mas, which has expanded its operations around the Danau Sentarum National Park (DSNP) in West Kalimantan. The Orangutan Foundation's Volunteer Programme will be working in Danau Sentarum with the Indonesian N.G.O., Titian Foundation, this September for six weeks.
The wetlands of Danau Sentarum © Titian Foundation
DSNP is a wetland of interconnected lakes surrounded by peat swamp forest in the upper Kapuas river basin, the most threatened habitat remaining for orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus) in Indonesia. The Sentarum lakes and surrounding peat swamp wetlands are unique in Kalimantan, as they are Borneo’s oldest inland peat swamps at 12,000 years old. DSNp is also listed as a Ramsar [Convention on Wetlands of International Importance] site. Threats in the area are rapid conversion of orangutan habitat to oil palm plantations as well as, forest fires, illegal logging and hunting.
Bornean female orangutan and infant © Brian Matthews
If you want to get involved with our crucial conservation work then please contact us on info@orangutan.org.uk or telephone 00 44 (0)20 7724 2912.
