The Palm Industry Threatens Many Wildlife Species
Palm Oil's Serious Threat to Southeast Asian Wildlife
Southeast Asia has the highest rate of primary forest loss in the world and has led to millions of acres being cut down for palm oil monocropping. Deforestation is often a problem with palm oil companies because they sell timber for increased profit even if this land is not being used and/or they could be reusing old land.
About 32% of Borneo's mammals are threatened. Most species in these rainforests cannot tolerate oil palms because they are toxic, or they require food plants which are destroyed to plant palms. Most animals crossing these plantations are either killed or caught and sold. Most rainforest animals have large territories and ranges due to asynchronous fruiting of trees and thus have had their numbers depleted from habitat fragmentation and will result in higher rates of inbreeding.
For example, orangutans gestate their young for about 8.5 months, and they will only have offspring every 5-10 years. Thus, the death rate is much higher than the birth rate which will inevitably lead to extinction in the next decade unless much of these forests are replanted. These apes hold very large, marginally overlapping ranges and must constantly forage to find fruiting trees. Because food sources are unpredictable, unlike at temperate climates where fruiting occurs synchronously, these apes are stranded in fragmented forests and are forced to starve. If and when they attempt to cross plantations, they are often shot and killed or sold into the pet trade.
Often whole groups of elephants and rhinos are killed for their tusks/horns and orangutans (and other forest-dwelling mammals and birds) are sold as pets in town markets when such animals encounter people on plantation land or during the logging process. Infant orangutans are often taken from their mothers who are shot and killed before being sold in city markets. Often whole groups are killed just for an infant. These infants are often bought for their child-like appeal, and eventually grow into large adults that become aggressive before they are subsequently killed by thier owners. This type of trade is inadequately enforced by local governments. To learn more about affected wildlife, read "Cruel Oil" by clicking here. You can also find it under the links tab.
About 32% of Borneo's mammals are threatened. Most species in these rainforests cannot tolerate oil palms because they are toxic, or they require food plants which are destroyed to plant palms. Most animals crossing these plantations are either killed or caught and sold. Most rainforest animals have large territories and ranges due to asynchronous fruiting of trees and thus have had their numbers depleted from habitat fragmentation and will result in higher rates of inbreeding.
For example, orangutans gestate their young for about 8.5 months, and they will only have offspring every 5-10 years. Thus, the death rate is much higher than the birth rate which will inevitably lead to extinction in the next decade unless much of these forests are replanted. These apes hold very large, marginally overlapping ranges and must constantly forage to find fruiting trees. Because food sources are unpredictable, unlike at temperate climates where fruiting occurs synchronously, these apes are stranded in fragmented forests and are forced to starve. If and when they attempt to cross plantations, they are often shot and killed or sold into the pet trade.
Often whole groups of elephants and rhinos are killed for their tusks/horns and orangutans (and other forest-dwelling mammals and birds) are sold as pets in town markets when such animals encounter people on plantation land or during the logging process. Infant orangutans are often taken from their mothers who are shot and killed before being sold in city markets. Often whole groups are killed just for an infant. These infants are often bought for their child-like appeal, and eventually grow into large adults that become aggressive before they are subsequently killed by thier owners. This type of trade is inadequately enforced by local governments. To learn more about affected wildlife, read "Cruel Oil" by clicking here. You can also find it under the links tab.
What's Wrong With Palm Oil
"Palm oil itself is not the issue...The problem with palm oil is the manner in which it is farmed and manufactured. " Learn more about how the drainage of valuable peatland and the clearing of rainforest affects both the landscape and endangered species. Learn about the species and areas most affected by the palm oil industry and hear what NASA has to say about palm oil's contribution to global warming.
Photo Courtesy: www.palmoilinvestigations.org
Photo Courtesy: www.palmoilinvestigations.org