Statements
International Orangutan Day
Statement
Hon Amanda Dorn (8:45 pm): Today is International Orangutan Day. The legendary David Attenborough pronounces the word as "orang-u-tan", these persons of the forest, and I will also pronounce it this way. Today is an opportunity to show off just how spectacular these animals really are and to raise awareness of the dangers they face. International Orangutan Day is when conservationists, wildlife organisations and individuals around the world highlight the plight of orangutans, against the exotic pet trade and widespread deforestation of their habitat for palm oil.
This day allows us to highlight and consider the similarities with challenges that our own unique wildlife, like the black cockatoo, are facing due to habitat loss and destruction. Black cockatoos are threatened by habitat loss and degradation, competition from other birds for nesting sites and declining food supplies. Being a recognised threatened species across the world should not be the only criterion for needing to be protected.
Today we celebrate orangutans and highlight their unique characteristics and mannerisms. Orangutans are nature's gardeners, thriving on fruit and spreading seeds far and wide, helping entire rainforests grow. Orangutan mums are incredibly devoted and will have babies only once every seven or eight years—the longest birth interval for any mammal. They are surprisingly resourceful. Wild orangutans have been seen using certain plants to soothe muscles and joints, just like traditional medicines used by local people.
The orangutan continues to face enormous threats, with deforestation, logging, palm oil plantations, human conflict and the illegal pet trade all having taken a massive toll on their populations. We support every effort in orangutan conservation, including labelling on products containing palm oil so that we as consumers can, at the very least, avoid buying them.
Our iconic black cockatoo is teetering on the brink of extinction. Its survival is also threatened by relentless habitat destruction, driven by ongoing land clearing for urban development and mining operations. These majestic birds rely on old-growth forest for nesting and feeding, but as these landscapes vanish, so too does their chance to thrive and survive. Protecting the black cockatoo means preserving the rich biodiversity of our region and standing up for a species that cannot speak for itself.
On this special International Orangutan Day, the Animal Justice Party wants to recognise our own iconic, majestic species, not only the black cockatoo, but all wildlife that is under threat in very similar circumstances, and our urgent need to act to protect them.
