Orangutan Conservation Initiative

Understand orangutans

Protect their future

Explore the Issues

≈117K Estimated Wild Orangutans

34% Borneo Forest Cleared

3 Critically Endangered Species

19M+ Acres of Oil-Palm on Borneo

Sources: Indonesia Ministry of Forestry IUCN Gaveau et al. 2016

Our Mission

Turning Awareness Into Action

Orangutan Conservation Initiative explains orangutans, the threats they face and the realities of conservation work in Indonesia.

Alongside researched guides, OCI publishes firsthand accounts from researchers, conservation workers and people with years of experience around orangutans.

Explore Orangutan Facts

How You Can Get Involved

Learn About Orangutans

Make Informed Choices

Learn About the Issues

Teach and Share

August 2026

Akmad

By Rod Brindamour

In 1971, Biruté Galdikas and I embarked on a project, funded primarily by the National Geographic Society and the Louis Leakey Foundation, to study wild orangutans in Borneo. We chose Tanjung Puting Nature Reserve as the study area for the project. Our camp was located in the forest along the Sekonyer River. The nearest town was Kumai, on the south coast of central Borneo, which is the starting point for the boat trip to the reserve.

Read Akmad’s Story

July 2026

Princess

By Binti Brindamour

In 2017, we returned to the rainforests of Kalimantan to search for an orangutan I had known since childhood. Princess was already believed to be gone by then. Nobody had seen her for several months, and there was concern that she might have fallen ill. Our search became part of the Animal Planet documentary Raised Human.

Read Princess’s Story

Make Informed Choices

Know What Helps

People who care about orangutans and conservation are often asked to donate, adopt, volunteer, travel, or change what they buy. But not every option has the same impact. Our guides explain what responsible support can look like, what questions to ask, and how to avoid choices that may cause harm. Informed choices can help protect forests, strengthen local communities, and give orangutans a better chance to remain in the wild.

See Orangutans in the Wild