High atop the ropes and walkways recreating the Bornean jungle, a tiny orangutan calf clings tightly to its mother's fur. A few feet away, Popo, a curious and energetic young male, watches her every move as she explores her new home. The scene may seem ordinary, but it holds an urgent message: orangutans are among the most endangered animals on the planet, and their survival depends on humanity changing course.
Today, August 19, International Orangutan Day , BIOPARC Fuengirola puts a face to this global drama by showing the life of its own family of great primates: two females with their young and a male who has brought new energy to the group.
A species that keeps the secrets of the forest
Their name literally means "man of the forest." Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) share almost 97% of their DNA with us and are notable for their intelligence, patience, and the complexity of their behaviors. They are ecosystem engineers: by dispersing seeds, they help regenerate the tropical forest on which not only their future depends, but also that of thousands of species, including our own.
The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is not just a forest dweller, but an ecosystem engineer. By dispersing seeds, they help regenerate the forests that regulate the climate and sustain the lives of thousands of species, including our own.
The story of orangutans is also one of accelerated decline: in just 40 years, their population has shrunk by more than 60%. Of the nearly 300.000 individuals that inhabited Borneo in the 70s, barely more than 100.000 survive. The cause is a lethal combination: massive deforestation for palm oil production, deliberately set fires, mining and habitat fragmentation, poaching, and the illegal trafficking of infants. If urgent measures are not taken, they could disappear from the wild in just half a century.
Shocking fact: The IUCN estimates that if their decline and the threats that cause it continue at the same rate, most of their wild populations will become extinct within the next 50 years. Recent surveys conducted by this organization conclude that between 2.000 and 3.000 orangutans were killed each year in Indonesian Borneo during the last four decades alone.
Bioparc's mission: a thread of hope
Faced with this reality, every birth at BIOPARC Fuengirola is an act of resistance. The park is part of the European Bornean Orangutan Endangered Species Programme (EEP), an international collaborative network that ensures the genetic conservation of the species. Furthermore, through the BIOPARC Foundation, it supports projects in Borneo itself for forest protection and the education of local communities with the Borneo Nature Foundation.
The arrival of the young male "Popo," from Barcelona last year, has strengthened the group's cohesion and symbolizes the essential role played by modern zoos: they are not mere exhibition spaces, but living arks of biodiversity working against the clock to prevent the extinction of unique species. This International Orangutan Day, Bioparc Fuengirola sends a clear message: we still have time, but the clock is ticking. Protecting orangutans doesn't just mean saving one animal; it means preserving the forests that regulate the planet's climate and ensuring a future for future generations.
