- Signatures: 10,890
- Goal: 10,000
- Deadline: 2-28-2003
See Full Petition
Email this PetitionWhile you are reading this letter one of the last safe havens for Orangutans is being destroyed! If the current rate of forest destruction continues, this remarkable species is predicted to be extinct in the wild within the next decade!
Orangutans are restricted to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra in South East Asia. These forests are now being heavily impacted by logging to supply the demand for hardwood products in Asian, European and American countries. As a result of this and other pressures, Orangutan numbers have fallen by 50% in the last decade and only about 20 000 are estimated to remain.
Until very recently Gunung Palung National Park in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, was a beautiful and secure rainforest oasis that harboured an incredible 15% of the world’s remaining Orangutans. This situation has now changed, and it’s getting worse very quickly. Today, deep within what were once the safe borders of this Park, one is confronted by the sights and sounds of chainsaws and numerous illegal logging teams. Previously tranquil rivers are cluttered with a ceaseless procession of logging-rafts.
Due to conflicting interests, local and regional authorities seem unable or unwilling to halt these destructive activities. As money from wood sales tends to go to foreign companies, illegal logging represents a major loss of revenue for Indonesia. Although the individuals who join dangerous illegal logging teams are provided with a basic income, this has to be weighed against the long-term costs to communities that must cope with flooded rice fields, declining fish stocks, reduced availability of safe drinking water, and loss of income from non-timber forest products such as rattan and fruit. If Gunung Palung National Park is destroyed, villagers will also loose the greatest chance they had to develop a local eco-tourism industry.
Is there any hope? We believe there is. Recent surveys found that almost 2000 orangutans still persist within the borders of the Park, and more in the damaged forests beyond - so it's not too late! If you agree with us that Gunung Palung National Park is too precious to be lost - please sign this petition and spread this message by sending it on to your friends and colleagues! Your participation could directly contribute to the preservation of an entire national park and one of the world's most endangered primates. We do not have much time so please don't hesitate! We need to remind those with the power to do something that protection of these remaining havens is of high priority both nationally and globally.
Below you will find a letter that will be sent to the Minister of Forestry Muhammad Prakosa, the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yoedoyono, the Minister for Environmental Affairs Nabiel Makarim as well as to the President of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri and the Vice President Hamzah Haz. This letter will be signed by us and, hopefully, you and thousands of other concerned people. Our hopes are that urgent action will then be taken and the Gunung Palung National Park and its Orangutans will be saved!
If you want to find out more before signing the petition, please contact Annika Felton (a.felton@care2.com). You can also look at www.orangutan.com (and click on The Projects and find information about the Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Project). Also look at www.geocities.com/gunungpalung/conservation.html
Yours Truly,
Dr. Cheryl Knott, Assistant Professor Harvard University, USA, Director of the Gunung Palung Orangutan Project and the Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Program Dr. Timothy Laman, Harvard University, USA Togu Manurung, Director of Forest Watch Indonesia, Bogor Betsy Hill, Field Director of the Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Program Andrea Johnson, coordinator of the Gunung Palung Orangutan Census Michelle Brown, consultant to the Gunung Palung Orangutan Project John Harting, acting co-manager of the Cabang Panti Research Station and the Gunung Palung Orangutan Project Page van Meter, acting co-manager of the Cabang Panti Research Station and the Gunung Palung Orangutan Project Helga Peters, Ph.D. candidate Armidale University, Australia Andrew Marshall, Ph.D. candidate Harvard University, USA Annika Felton, M.Sc. Uppsala University, Sweden Linda Engstrom, M.Sc. Uppsala University, Sweden
| Number | Date | Prefix | Name | City | Country | Why I am signing this petition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,903 | 7:37 pm PST, Nov 4 | Mr. | Stephen Kennedy | Ventura | United States | All life is interconnected. It is only in the last 100 years that man has begun to modify life to the extent that in one weeks time, hundreds of species will go extinct forever. We are the only ones who can change this, by modifying our actions. We can not afford to lose another species of primate. |
| 10,902 | 1:13 am PDT, Oct 10 | Chloe xx | Albury | Australia | These poor creatures don't have a voice so we need to be it for them | |
| 10,901 | 2:21 am PDT, Sep 24 | Dr. | Raj Patel is legendary | New Delhi | United Kingdom | |
| 10,900 | 4:41 am PDT, Sep 17 | Ms. | Brydie Nielson | Echuca | Australia | The thought that these beautiful creatures may soon be no more sickens me. |
| 10,899 | 11:14 am PDT, Jul 12 | Mr. | Marco Durepos | Ottawa | Canada | |
| 10,898 | 3:57 pm PDT, Jul 5 | james coulomb | south elgin | United States | The rain forest is the most bio diverse area on the planet. Along with the disappearance of animals, there are plants which are uncatalogued. Cures may await discovery in these plants. The disappearance of any primate is a tragedy. | |
| 10,897 | 8:14 am PDT, Jun 22 | donna zaugg | columbia | United States | DEPLORABLE! | |
| 10,896 | 7:13 am PDT, May 30 | Ms. | Kylie Booker | Adelaide | Australia | |
| 10,895 | 8:08 am PDT, May 23 | Anonymous | Sagamore Hills | United States | The number of orangutans has decreased far too rapidly. I want to be part of the solution. You can be too! | |
| 10,894 | 11:26 am PDT, Mar 16 | michela messineo | Ardea (Rome) | Italy | ||
| 10,893 | 4:49 am PDT, Mar 16 | Ms. | Josephine Reeve | Gillingham | United Kingdom | Because the Orangutans is one of our closest relatives and now they're being killed. They're habitat is also being destoryed because because want "green fuel" but it's wiped out the Orangutans by loads. They should be saved. |
| 10,892 | 11:11 am PST, Feb 28 | Anna Light | Yerres | France | ||
| 10,891 | 8:01 am PST, Feb 3 | Susan VanButsel | Bradenton | United States | ||
| 10,890 | 2:55 pm PST, Jan 29 | Ms. | Ashley Arimborgo | Colorado springs | United States | I believe that it is extremely important to the future generations to preserve the natural world now before it is too late. Gunung Palung National Park is one of a few true 'treasures' of the natural world left, and one of the most biodiverse at that. |
| 10,889 | 3:46 pm PST, Jan 28 | Mr. | Kris Noble | London | United Kingdom | |
| 10,888 | 11:18 pm PST, Jan 20 | Kenneth Kother | Helsinki | Finland | ||
| 10,887 | 1:52 pm PST, Jan 5 | Ms. | Melanie day | New Hope | United States | I am signing this petition because everyone should have a chance at life. These poor animals are beautiful, and do not deserve death. They deserve life. I want the cruelty of my fellow humans stopped. |
| 10,886 | 1:00 pm PST, Jan 4 | Ms. | Rebecca Fulco | S Plainfield | United States | |
| 10,885 | 3:29 am PST, Jan 3 | Ms. | Pam Fioretti | Adelaide | Australia | Because I care about the orangutans,and what is happening to them is a tragedy and a crime against nature! |
| 10,884 | 6:44 pm PST, Dec 26 | Joanna Dulowska | Grudziadz | Poland | ||
| 10,883 | 2:04 pm PST, Dec 10 | Mrs. | Wanda Perry | Afton | United States | Orangutans have the same life in them as we do. The rain forest belongs to them, it is their home. It is our duty to care and protect them. When they destroy this rain forest, humans will move on to another area. If only we could move the orangutans to another area, where they would be safe. |
| 10,882 | 3:24 am PST, Dec 9 | Mr. | John Allen | Sydney | Australia | |
| 10,881 | 4:14 pm PST, Dec 8 | umberto bonanno | Sydney | Australia | the closest species to man - we must save their habitat | |
| 10,880 | 2:59 am PST, Dec 8 | Helen Bonanno | sydney | Australia | these rainforests are a priceless resource for Indonesia, and for the creatures which depend on them. | |
| 10,879 | 9:47 pm PST, Dec 7 | Mrs. | Karina Lloyd | Oatley | Australia | The Orangutan is our closest relative, clearing the forests is endangering their survival, we must protect them. It is a cruel, inhumane, silent slaughter to these highly intelligent animals. Protect our forests, protect the animals that live in the forest and ultimately protect humans from the effects that deforestation has on the environment. |
| 10,878 | 1:40 pm PST, Dec 7 | Lindi Robertson | Sydney | Australia | Humans in the future will wonder about our priorities to allow Orangutans in the wild to become extinct. There is enough wood, palm oil substitutes & ways to farm sustainably to avoid this catastrophe. | |
| 10,877 | 1:39 pm PST, Dec 7 | Vicki Carter | Balhannah | Australia | ||
| 10,876 | 11:57 am PST, Dec 7 | Mrs. | Janelle Tuero | Tahmoor | Australia | Because l care unlike the corrupt Govts involved in what is happening. There is no 2nd chance once the forests and creatures are gone. So WKE UP and stop this TODAY> K.F.C. dont care. They just want what they can get at the cheapest price at any cost to the enviroment. |
| 10,875 | 5:28 pm PST, Dec 1 | Ms. | Anonymous | Oakland | United States | |
| 10,874 | 3:24 pm PST, Nov 30 | Ms. | Rowena Horn | Parramatta | Australia | To stop the destruction of the rainforest and save the habitat of so many important animals. We can take timber and farm responsibly and the west can live without palm oil - which is bad for our health and has plenty of sustainable substitutes. WAKE UP |
| 10,873 | 4:12 pm PST, Nov 24 | Gail Browning | Sydney | Australia | I am very concerned about the Orangutans survival and how much the logging of theses forests will make it far worse in the plight of the Orangutan's future. Please do not take out these forests. The Orangutans need the trees for their survival. | |
| 10,872 | 4:19 pm PST, Nov 23 | Chitra Allen | Sydney NSW | Australia | I'm signing this petition because I care about the future of the Orangutan species. These gentle primates deserve our respect. | |
| 10,871 | 5:16 pm PST, Nov 2 | Ms. | Aimee Cirino | amherstburg | Canada | Becasue all species are here for a reason and this earth is ment to be shared, We humans are not here to destroy everything on our path. |
| 10,870 | 2:49 pm PDT, Oct 29 | Mr. | Alan Grinnell | Dexter | United States | It is incomprehensible to wipe out SPECIES that feel, live & breathe for money. We have sunk to the lowest of the low & human beings cannot be far behind & then how will WE feel? |
| 10,869 | 12:56 pm PDT, Oct 25 | Mrs. | Susanne Häger | Kalletal | Germany | It is a shame what men are doing to the animals and nature! |
| 10,868 | 4:22 pm PDT, Oct 21 | Mr. | Anonymous | Hingham | United States | Because I love Orangutans and Gianna Decola. |
| 10,867 | 7:33 pm PDT, Oct 18 | Anonymous | melbourne | Australia | im signing this to save the orangutans!! | |
| 10,866 | 11:10 am PDT, Oct 15 | Mr. | Mack lueken | south jordan | United States | To save the orangutans |
| 10,865 | 1:07 pm PDT, Oct 10 | Mrs. | shawn johnson | san clemente | United States | to save Orangutans from extinction |
| 10,864 | 11:53 am PDT, Oct 9 | Emma jones | Kenilworth | United Kingdom | ||
| 10,863 | 2:26 am PDT, Sep 20 | Ms. | Alyx Trenton | Bendigo | Australia | I love orangutans, am adopting one and learned about themn my Indonesian class. |
| 10,862 | 12:15 am PDT, Sep 19 | Taylor Henderson | Newcastle | Australia | ||
| 10,861 | 7:14 pm PDT, Aug 28 | Lee Groome | Safety Bay | Australia | ||
| 10,860 | 4:36 am PDT, Aug 28 | Mr. | Nathan Brown | Clacton-on-sea | United Kingdom | orangutans are very nearly extinct with no way of breeding to save there species they cant breed with there close relatives in the monkey world so they will just die out !!!!!!!!1 |
| 10,859 | 4:13 am PDT, Aug 18 | Mrs. | Stefanie Jaene | Bad Camberg | Germany | |
| 10,858 | 6:53 am PDT, Jul 28 | Anonymous | Fremont | United States | Save the orangutans for them as well as all of us - now and for the future. | |
| 10,857 | 6:40 pm PDT, Jul 20 | Ms. | Cherri McGarvie | North Vancouver | Canada | I believe that orangutans have the right to live on this earth and in the forests of their birth. |
| 10,856 | 11:44 am PDT, Jul 10 | Laurel Watson | Maricopa | United States | ||
| 10,855 | 8:52 am PDT, Jul 8 | Ms. | Kathleen Carey | Woodbury | United States | I am an Tufts AVM participant and I care about them as we all should. |
| 10,854 | 8:51 am PDT, Jul 8 | Ms. | Jasmine Reid | Stoughton | United States | I am doing a research project on the endangerment - and, unfortunately, seemingly inevitable - extinction of the orangutans. I'm ecstatic that there's a petition that I can sign in addition to educating the public on their plight. |
| 10,853 | 8:49 am PDT, Jul 8 | Mr. | Eric Mellis | New Rochelle | United States | |
| 10,852 | 8:29 am PDT, Jul 5 | Ms. | robin thompson | Littleton | United States | Orangutans are amazing, intelligent creatures that deserve our respect. If we lose them, we'll lose a bit of ourselves and a lot of enjoyment, wonder and insight that they provide. |
| 10,851 | 4:36 am PDT, Jul 5 | greta malkotzoglou | Athens | Greece |
Save Orangutans by Stopping Illegal Logging of Gunung Palung National Park
Recipients:
Minister of Forestry, Muhammad Prakosa
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, Susilo Bambang Yoedoyono
Minister for Environmental Affairs, Nabiel Makarim
President of the Republic of Indonesia, Megawati Soekarnoputri
Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Hamzah Haz
Dear Sir/ Madam,
We who have signed this petition, request your attention regarding the current problems facing
the survival of Gunung Palung National Park. Until recently Gunung Palung was one of the
great untouched national treasures of Indonesia and one of the last places on Earth
harbouring a significant population of Orangutans. Today illegal logging has damaged 50% of
the Park and current rates of logging are predicted to degrade what remains of the Park's
lowland forest in just a few years.
These unsustainable logging activities will put great strain on the economy of West
Kalimantan. Gunung Palung functions as an important water catchment area for the
surrounding region. Its demise would affect the availability of safe drinking water, cause
flooding of rice fields and sedimentation of rivers and coral reefs where fishermen today find
their livelihood. Detrimental events like these have already started to occur in the region.
Additionally, if this forest is destroyed the primary incentive for eco-tourists from all over the
world to visit this region will be lost, along with revenue for future generations of Indonesians.
Gunung Palung National Park is also an important site for ecological research (for Indonesian
and foreign scientists) and environmental education for local students. In the past two years
over 300 local students have visited the Park and the research station.
We humbly request that the issue of illegal logging within Gunung Palung National Park be
given your urgent attention. We applaud the current changes to forestry policy by the
Indonesian Government. The recent ban on ramin trade is exemplary. In the short term
however, Gunung Palung and other vulnerable national parks will disappear if the level of law
enforcement used to protect these parks is not improved. We ask that you use your power
and influence to stop the destruction of Gunung Palung National Park - for the long term
benefit to local communities and the preservation of Indonesia's incredible natural heritage.
Yours very truly,
We the undersigned
Note: This Save Orangutans by Stopping Illegal Logging of Gunung Palung National Park petition was submitted by Annika Felton. ThePetitionSite.com is a free service provided to help concerned citizens rally support for issues they believe in. The opinions expressed by this petition do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of ThePetitionSite.com or Care2.com. There is no express or implied endorsement of this petition nor any newsletter offers (except those from Care2.com) by Care2.com, Inc, ThePetitionSite.com, or our sponsors. If you believe this system is being abused, please contact customer support.
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