At this very moment that you are reading this, an orangutan in Borneo or Sumatra might be trying to escape the forest fires, or is being attacked by poachers waiting to sell him off to the illegal pet trade. You can make a difference to his life.

Here are some ways that individuals like you and me can take to save the orangutans:

• Avoid palm oil products as far as possible

  Since palm oil is ubiquitous, avoiding it altogether is probably not as feasible. Instead, look to companies that produces palm oil using sustainable methods. Sustainable palm oil is produced without causing deforestation.

• Donate money to established NGOs

  The cost of undertaking projects to help conserve orangutans and their habitats do not come cheap. A consistent flow of funds is necessary for them to continue their conservation efforts.

• Join an NGOs as a volunteer

  There is never such a thing as too many volunteers! Joining an NGO allows one to have a greater in-depth understanding of the orangutan conservation issue as they immerse themselves in the field work.

• Go on a vacation built around visiting wild orangutan habitats

  Like it or not, governments of both Malaysia and Indonesia are looking to promote tourism long-term. For that reason, as long as international tourists continue to come to these countries seek out a wildlife tourism experience, the government will attempt to protect habitats where popular wildlife species like the orangutans, reside.

• Spread the word
  If you are unable to do any of the aforementioned, do not fret! Creating awareness for the plight of the orangutans is as simple telling your family, friends, or anyone else about it. As the Chinese saying goes, news spreads quickly from the word of mouth, and social media today makes it even for information to be disseminated.