Overview

• Orangutans, now confined to Borneo and Sumatra and listed by the IUCN as critically endangered, are losing habitat, with more than 85% of global palm oil produced in Indonesia and Malaysia.
• NGOs urge consumers to pick RSPO‑certified products rather than boycotting palm oil and to scrutinize labels where palm ingredients are disguised.
• In Germany, most imported palm oil is blended into biodiesel, so driving less reduces demand for palm oil as well as CO2 emissions.
• Travelers are advised to avoid shows with “boxing” or costumed orangutans and to report social posts of people holding infants, which often signal illegal capture and trade.
• Borneo Orangutan Survival promotes its “Waldflieger” model to convert palm oil plantations back to rainforest as a restoration‑based alternative to standard CO2 offsets, while WWF recommends using only Gold Standard projects when compensating flights.