August 19, 2025
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4 MIN READ
International Orangutan Day – Why It Matters and How You Can Help
Every year on 19th August, we mark International Orangutan Day—a chance to celebrate these gentle, intelligent beings and highlight the urgent need to protect them.
Orangutans share around 97% of our DNA. They’re problem-solvers, tool users, and deeply social, with mothers caring for their young for up to 8 years—one of the longest childhoods in the animal kingdom.
Yet despite their intelligence and gentle nature, orangutans are on the brink of extinction. The biggest reason? Their rainforest homes are being destroyed at an alarming rate.
Key takeaways
- Orangutan populations have plummeted—Bornean numbers are down more than 60% since 1950, with a further 22% decline projected by 2025.
- Sumatran orangutans face steep losses—experts predict a nearly one-third population drop by 2030.
- All orangutan species are critically endangered, with habitat loss due largely to palm oil expansion.
- Amaranthine remains proudly palm oil free, committed to ethical skincare that avoids contributing to rainforest destruction.
- You can help—support palm oil free brands, back orangutan charities, and reduce your use of palm oil in daily products.
Why orangutans are endangered
All three orangutan species are now Critically Endangered, and their decline is staggering:
- Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus): populations have fallen by over 60% since 1950, with another 22% expected by 2025.
- Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii): scientists forecast nearly a one-third decline in numbers by 2030.
- Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis): with under 800 individuals left, it faces rapid habitat loss and profound extinction risk.
The main driver is deforestation—vast areas of tropical rainforest are cut or burned each year to make way for palm oil plantations. This not only destroys vital feeding and nesting areas, but also fragments the forest, isolating orangutan groups and making it harder for them to survive. As their habitats shrink, orangutans are forced into closer contact with humans, increasing the risk of conflict, injury, and death.
Their slow life cycle—mothers give birth only once every 6–8 years—means that even small losses take decades to recover from.
Where palm oil is found
Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world. It comes from the fruit of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) and is incredibly versatile. You’ll find it in:
- Food products like biscuits, chocolate, margarine, and instant noodles.
- Personal care items such as shampoo, soap, lipstick, and face cream.
- Household products including detergents and cleaning agents.
It’s often hidden under other names—look out for ingredients starting with Laur-, Stear-, Palm-, or Cety-—making it tricky for consumers to avoid without clear labelling.
Palm oil and orangutans
Palm oil plantation expansion—especially in Indonesia and Malaysia—remains one of the biggest drivers of deforestation in orangutan habitats. Every year, thousands of hectares of tropical rainforest are cleared or burned to create space for monoculture plantations.
This destruction wipes out the complex ecosystems orangutans depend on, forcing them into smaller, fragmented forest patches that can’t sustain healthy populations. As a result, competition for food increases, and orangutans are pushed closer to villages and farms—where they face further threats.
Palm oil is in countless everyday products—often without the word “palm” in the label—making it easy to consume unknowingly.
Even so-called “sustainable” palm oil is problematic. The RSPO has long faced criticism for weak enforcement and lack of transparency. A 2024 report by the Environmental Investigation Agency found that RSPO standards still contain loopholes and cannot guarantee full compliance with new EU or UK deforestation regulations. Auditors are often hired directly by the companies they assess, raising serious concerns about conflicts of interest.
Amaranthine’s story – why we are palm oil free
From the very start, I made the decision that my skincare brand would be palm oil free. When the Palm Oil Free Certification Trademark became available, I was so proud that Amaranthine became the first skincare company in the world to achieve it.
But being palm oil free is far from easy:
- Many functional skincare ingredients—those that improve skin feel, texture, or stability—are palm oil derived.
- Finding effective alternatives takes research, creativity, and persistence.
- Palm oil free ingredients are often more expensive.
- Every product must be approved and certified, which takes time and money.
Despite these challenges, it’s a commitment I stand by—because protecting rainforests, wildlife, and communities is worth every extra step.
What you can do
You don’t have to run a skincare brand to make a difference. Here’s how you can help:
- Support palm oil free brands – look for the Palm Oil Free Certification Trademark.
- Support conservation charities – such as Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Orangutan Foundation International, Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, and OVAID – Orangutan Veterinary Aid.
- Reduce your palm oil consumption – in both food and cosmetics.
- Raise awareness – share facts about orangutans and their connection to palm oil.
Final thoughts
This International Orangutan Day, let’s choose empathy and action. Orangutans are intelligent, social, and deeply connected to their rainforest homes—homes that are disappearing at a devastating rate.
By supporting ethical choices today, we help ensure a future for orangutans, the forests they live in, and the planet we all share.
Because their story is our story too.
If you’d like to make your skincare routine part of the solution, explore Amaranthine's certified palm oil free skincare range—handcrafted in my Scottish studio to care for your skin and protect the planet.
Sources
WWF UK. 8 things to know about palm oil. Link
Environmental Investigation Agency. The RSPO’s Rules on Deforestation, Legality and Traceability. Link
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species – Orangutans. Link
The International Palm Oil Free Certification Trademark (POFCAP). Link
Orangutans In Crisis Link
Our products mentioned in this article
Sarah Rueger
About the author
Sarah is the founder of certified palm oil free natural skincare brand Amaranthine. She is a qualified organic skincare formulator and has diplomas in Beauty Therapy and Clinical Aromatherapy.
