- Malaysian minister said orangutans will be gifted to trade partners who buy the country’s palm oil.
- It is seen as a way for Malaysia to distance itself from accusations of unsustainability made against palm oil plantations.
- Over the years, China used the giant panda to make diplomatic overtures and thaw cooler-than-ideal relations with other nations.
- Orangutans are the only one of the great apes in Asia. There are four types of great apes: gorillas (Africa), bonobos (Africa), orangutans (SE Asia), and chimpanzees (Africa).
- The orangutan is an endangered species that is found only in the tropical forests of Borneo (Malaysia and Indonesia) and Sumatra (Indonesia).
- It is listed as Critically endangered under the red list of IUCN.
Dig Deeper: What is the difference between Great apes and Lesser apes and how do apes differ from monkeys?
