Orangutan award
Find out how to become a Champion in Conservation for orangutans.
Orangutans are among the most intelligent animals on the planet. At Chester Zoo, we have both Bornean and Sumatran orangutans.
The biggest threat to orangutans is the loss of their habitat for the creation of oil palm plantations. Palm oil itself is not necessarily bad. It’s versatile and extremely efficient. However, the unsustainable production of palm oil is one of the biggest threats to the forests and wildlife of areas where it’s grown, like Borneo and Sumatra.
It’s vital that we do everything we can to fight this, and by choosing sustainable palm oil you can do your part! Making informed choices when purchasing sustainable palm oil, and communicating this to manufacturers is one of the best ways you can make a real difference to conservation and protecting ecosystems. If we continue to support companies who use unsustainable palm oil in their supply chains then orangutans will be pushed to the brink of extinction.
By only choosing sustainable products, it guarantees that the oil used is not contributing to deforestation, therefore helping protect the orangutans and their habitat.
CONNECT BY:
LEARNING MORE
Learning fun and interesting facts about animals helps us to feel more connected to them.
Using our pages on Bornean orangutans and Sumatran orangutans, learn about their diet, habitat and the threats to their survival.
You can also find out more about our Sustainable Palm Oil campaign.
VISITING YOUR LOCAL ZOO
There’s no better way to feel connected to animals than seeing them in person and with over 20,000 animals and 128 acres of zoological gardens to explore, Chester Zoo is the perfect location! During your next visit, come and see our orangutans, take photos and make memories that will last a lifetime. While you’re there, why not learn all about orangutans and how the unsustainable production of palm oil is threatening their survival.
TAKE ACTION BY:
SCANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL
When shopping have a look for the RSPO logo on the packaging, this indicates that the item contains sustainably grown palm oil. You can also download the ‘PalmOil Scan’ app to scan the barcodes of the items you buy. This will show you which companies use sustainable palm oil in their products.
SUPPORT BUSINESSES THAT USE SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL Making informed choices on sustainable palm oil in your purchases as a consumer and communicating this to manufacturer and the governement is a really powerful way you can make a difference.
BE A VOICE FOR CHANGE BY:
Part of conservation is using your voice to create social change around you.
There’s no one way to do this, you could create a poster or artwork, you could create a film or give a talk to friends and family, you could even write to your local MP to make them more aware of a conservation issue you’re passionate about.
Whatever you choose, get creative and do something that suits your way of using your voice for change!
Need some inspiration?
We’ve got some useful resources to help you get on your way to help:
Learn from zoo expert Cat Barton about palm oil: what it is, where it’s found, and why it’s used.
WHAT TO DO TO COMPLETE YOUR AWARD?
Awards are earned for completing one connect, one action, and one voice challenge on your chosen topic. If you have done all three then you can apply for your award.
Get inspired by some of our resources and ideas to achieve a Orangutan Award and find the way YOU want to connect, take action and be a voice for change and let us know how you’ve completed these through your application.
1. You can complete this challenge on your own, with friends or as part of a community group.
2. Collect evidence with photos, films or other ways to document your experience and write an account in your award application.