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Rachel and I are going to Borneo this summer and one of the things we particularly want to do is see orang-utans.  Orang-utans are being pushed to the brink. In the past decade alone, their numbers have fallen by up to half.   So we plan to climb Mt Kinabalu, The tallest mountain in South East Asia at 4,095 metres (13,435 ft) above sea level (this is about 150m/400ft taller than the Eiger in Switzerland), and are asking you to sponsor us to do it.

Probably the biggest threat is the loss of their natural habitat – due to industrial scale deforestation, forest fires, mining interests and conversion to palm oil plantations. In the past 20 years, around 80% of suitable orang-utan habitat has disappeared. And only a tiny 2% of what remains is legally protected.

The world’s insatiable demand for palm oil is one major factor in the orang-utan’s decline. And it is estimated that palm oil is present in more than half of the packaged supermarket products on sale in the UK today.

Grown sustainably, palm oil can provide vital livelihoods in an environmentally friendly way. But so far, too many manufacturers seem reluctant to pay the little extra for sustainably produced oil.

The huge demand for palm oil is placing an unbearable strain on the remaining rainforests of the world – not least in Borneo. And, as the forests disappear, the orang-utan inches closer and closer to extinction. 

We want to support WWF to curb the deforestation of Borneo – and protect the orang-utan’s remaining habitat.

Here's How your donation can help:

• £10 could pay for a local field worker's salary for two days
• £20 could buy a uniform for one research officer studying the Protected Areas required to preserve the Heart of Borneo
• £30 could plant ten native trees to help rehabilitate degraded habitat
• £50 could help WWF staff lobby governments in South East Asia to support sustainability in the palm oil industry
• £100 could help pay to train a small-scale palm oil plantation to comply with sustainability criteria

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.