The prediction of the sixth great mass extinction is no longer just an idea of the future, but a thing of the present and we have mankind to blame. This is approaching at a rate so fast, that it ultimately impossible to reverse. This event will have a huge environmental impact on our community, but more importantly the whole world will face massive changes. Therefore, hours of time are spent researching the aspects of why these endangered animals are quickly approaching extinction. Even more specifically the reasons behind the increased rate of orangutans disappearing. This is mainly caused by human interaction with the exotic animal trade, illegal logging, and loss of forests due to the implementation of palm oil plantations. If this process continues as is, the orangutans have limited time left on Earth. With that humans need to be involved with the conservation of such a species. One may find it to be too late for the revival of orangutans, however humans do have the capacity to slow down the process by joining conservation organizations, becoming educated, and commitment to the matter. Exploring the causes and effects of such an event that could be responsible for both cultural and economic effects, to find closure in the work one can do to help. 

The cultural and economic disaster of the sixth mass extinction, is the first to be caused directly by mankind. Scientist have confirmed that with nothing being done there is a major threat to human existence. Since the dinosaurs died out millions of years ago, extinction rates have continued to reach high levels, about one hundred times faster. The calculations made by these scientists are closer to a realistic “lower bound” on human destruction. With support from a reference in the journal Science Advances, the data published underestimated the severity of the sixth mass extinction, that has already started (Jordan). This extinction crisis is mainly due to human impact, as our population keeps growing. There is not just one area with life threatening extinctions, but there are occurrences all over the world. The only hope to reduce or stop this process is rapid conservation. 

The majority of orangutan population lies in a Malaysian state, where five percent of the land has been converted to oil palm plantations. However, these conversions are not the main threat to this species. Other factors such as unsustainable timber extraction, development of tree plantations, community agriculture, mining, and direct killings of orangutans are also important in the noticeable decline of orangutans. Poor management of these lands lead to forest fires, illegal possession and land transformation. Rates of killing have also increased dramatically in areas they should be safe with correct management (Meijaard, Erik). Higher human – orangutan interaction goes unpunished because of the lack of concern by the citizens of the country, as well as lack of management. Illegal logging is a main contributor to the drastic decrease of wild orangutans, with habitat destruction as a close second. More than eighty percent of forests, orangutan habitat, has been compromised. Illegal loggers have moved their work into the Gunung Palung National Park, home to over two thousand orangutans. It does not help that Indonesia suffers from natural forest fires, several within the last ten years. Human beings are divesting the life of these mammals who spend basically their who lives in the trees. The Indonesian State Ministry of Environment states that ninety-nine percent of orangutan’s time is spent in the trees, more than any other mammal (Mayell). Acts of deforesting have had the biggest damage to this species. Villagers are against conservation in the area because it is a main source of income for some families, which means they will n not stop. Not only are orangutans suffering from the loss of trees, but the sound of chainsaws, and other destruction are making the species display altered behavior. 

The “destructive powers of mankind,” can ultimately kill off the orangutan species. As desperate measures are now needed in order to provide security for the last sanctuaries of orangutans. The dry climate, caused by the El Nino phenomenon left much of Indonesia’s rain forests ruined, and cleared for human use. With the global climate change crisis International Animal Rescue is putting in every effort to help save these species as the threat of more fires increase each year. The author of “Forest Fires Continue to Devastate Orangutan Habitats”, Stuart Winter, gains insight from the director of International Animal Rescue. Who compares the current orangutan situation to effects of a war zone which is recognized as a world crime. The suffering enforced on such an innocent population is one leaving people speechless. They are running out of time and only have a chance of survival if serious actions are taken to prevent future forest fires, reforesting, and human beings have to reduce carbon emissions (Winter).  

Seventy-six million acres of forest in Indonesia has disappeared in only the past twenty-five years. If no efforts are put into place to preserve the forests in Indonesia and Malaysia, where these orangutans reside, they will be extinct within ten years. A major cause for this large clearing of the forests is to build palm oil plantations, or others are killed by humans. These palm oil plantations have been used to produce an array of different consumer products. Many green companies have failed to assure if their products came from deforested land or not. With companies complying to the deforestation of orangutan’s habitat, result in the palm oil plantations to bring in revenue. Which results in more destruction of rainforests. It is stressed that at this rate of destruction, there is absolutely no hope of orangutans remaining in the wild. Referring to the IUCN, the Bornean orangutan just joined the official critically endangered list, as the Sumatran has been previously classified. This will be extremely difficult to reverse as orangutans are slow-breeding species and they have bigger predators than just natural disasters to worry about (Johnston).  

It cannot be stressed enough that the primarily cause of this large scale extinction process is by human activity. Tropical rain forests are being ruined and illegal logging is taking place to aid this extinction. With the past population of orangutans’ beings hundreds of thousands, it is hard to believe that during the past decade they are decreased by fifty percent in the wild. Actual numbers are referred to by the ICUN (Orangutan Conservation). At this rate within the next fifty years, the entire orangutan populations could disappear. To prevent this from happening all parties have to become educated on the manner, and willing to comply to the needs for survival.

The future of orangutans is questionable as they struggle for survival. Due to the El Nino phenomena and mankind’s pollution forests area has dramatically decreased. Solving the forest fire problems is a short term solution to an ongoing problem. Nothing will change the fate for these helpless animals if all parties are not willing to put in efforts to change. Effective conservation requires a balance between the human development and wildlife habitat. This being the harshest impact being the depletion of forests because of emerging economies in developing countries such as Asia, South America, and Africa. In this scholarly article a bunch of topics are addressed such as, the methods of this study, the results of conflict, killing rates, orangutan sightings, and Indonesian laws. This study’s overall purpose is to collect quantitative information on human-orangutan conflicts, as well as ecological factors. With the help from many organization, Directorate of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation of the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry and the PAERHAPPI, this study was able to become a success (Meijaard).

The most essential aspect of conservation of the orangutan specie, or any for that matter, is education. “There is a strong relationship between traditional knowledge systems and ecosystem condition,” says lead researcher Linda Yuliani. “And this has implications for the conservation of wildlife.” Very few people could identify the laws relating to the conservation of orangutans, instead valued traditional beliefs. Because of these growing economies, governments may feel lenient to enforce such laws, as they rather a strong and stable economic state. Therefore, enforcing traditional standings, will have a stronger impact with the villagers surrounding the forest areas in which the majority of the orangutan population habitats. The forest is seen as a resource to the human population, but it is everything to the orangutans (Croft-Cusworth). Which leads to competition for now scarce resources. Large scale development projects are a priority to the surrounding community, which is also favored in the Land-use planning laws. This fight for orangutan survival is now not only between that of mankind, but of a developing country. One may argue which is more important, and any Politian will say expanding their businesses and ultimately make more money. However opposite is true, when consulting with an expert on this subject. As the depletion of orangutans is detrimental to the food chain supporting the rest of the world. 

Lack of collaboration is a common reason for efforts of conservation to fail. Locals should be recognized as core participants in this fight, as it will make them feel respected and more likely to help these conservation institutions. By connecting locals to ecological traditions, the ecosystems will benefit as a whole, which is the current goal (Croft-Cusworth). Collaboration between the people, conservation groups, and government officers will help slow down the process of orangutan extinction, as well as other species, due to the fact each party is contributing to the worlds work. 

Neither knowledge nor collaboration would make a difference if these two main strategies of conservation are being used: rehabilitation and reintroduction of orangutans in captivity and the protection of their forest habitats to abate threats like deforestation and hunting. Both of these strategies not successful on their own, but put together and over the years. In addition, while choosing an effective strategy to use for orangutan conservation researchers also took into accountability of the most cost efficient. In the long run it is found forest protection, when enforced properly is indeed more cost efficient. The third less utilized strategy consist of introducing and providing sustainable logging to protect these animals from the harm caused by human beings (Wilson). With the establishment of rehabilitation and protection, will show great increases of the population of orangutans in today’s world. 

In conclusion, knowledge and collaboration with all parties involved is the main key to success. It may be too late for a complete save of the species, however slowing down the process will have better long term lasting effects. Clearly human involvement with the exotic animal trade, illegal logging, and loss of forests due to the implementation of palm oil plantations must come to an end to fully support the process of conservation. After seeing the damages done thus far and all the hard work researchers, conservationists, scientist, and other people passionate about this area of work, should show the seriousness of what could be done with the depletion of not just orangutans, but all species involved in the sixth mass extinction. It is said to be “the end of the world as we know it.”
