A young rescued orangutan rescued from the illegal wildlife trade

Save orangutans from the illegal wildlife trade

Donate now

Their mothers would die to protect them. Many do.

For the orangutans left behind, your donation can help provide the care, rehabilitation and second chance their mothers fought for.

See how your gift helps

A baby orangutan

Stolen. Scared. Separated.

For around seven years, young orangutans depend on their mothers to teach them how to survive. How to climb. How to find food. How to recognise danger.

When a baby is taken from the wild, they lose years of learning and protection. 

Many rescued orangutans arrive frightened, traumatised and without the skills they need to survive on their own.

That's why your support matters.

An orangutan being released into the wild

Every orangutan rescued matters

Orangutans are among the slowest-reproducing mammals on Earth. Mothers raise a single infant for six to eight years before having another baby.

This means every orangutan lost to the illegal wildlife trade is a devastating loss for the future of the species.

Their mothers fought for them. Now we can too.

What your gift can make possible

When an orangutan loses their mother, rescue is only the beginning. Your donation could help:

  • Bring orangutans to safety through coordinated rescue operations and confiscations from the illegal wildlife trade.
  • Support life-saving veterinary care. including treatment, monitoring and a 30-day quarantine period.
  • Help orangutans relearn how to survive through rehabilitation, enrichment and survival-skills training.
  • Prepare them for release into protected forests where they can live as wild orangutans once more.

Every step brings an orangutan closer to the life they were meant to live.

Donate today

A rescued baby orangutan in a plastic box on a blanket

Working with trusted local partners

World Animal Protection is proud to support the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) and Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari (YEL), organisations that have spent decades protecting orangutans in Sumatra.

Their expertise helps ensure rescued orangutans receive the specialist care they need to recover and return safely to protected forest habitats.

Help an orangutan find their way home

Every orangutan is an intelligent, emotional individual capable of learning, exploring and forming deep bonds.

Often called the "gardeners of the forest", orangutans help keep rainforests healthy by spreading the seeds that grow into future generations of trees.

Protecting orangutans means protecting entire forest ecosystems

Save orangutans today

We will use your donation where the need is greatest to protect animals, like those featured in this appeal, from cruelty and suffering. 

Header credit: SOCP