Welcoming Orangutan Outreach to the Buddies for Paws Family

We’re thrilled to welcome Orangutan Outreach to the Buddies for Paws family, a leading non-profit dedicated to protecting endangered orangutans and their rainforest homes in Borneo and Sumatra.

Founded in 2007, Orangutan Outreach rescues orphaned and displaced orangutans, rehabilitates them for release back into the wild, and provides lifelong sanctuary care for those who cannot return to the forest. Their mission is simple: protect orangutans and give every individual the chance to live a safe, healthy, cage-free life.

Richard Zimmerman, Executive Director of Orangutan Outreach, explains:

“Orangutans are the guardians and gardeners of some of the last great rainforests on earth. We humans rely on these forests for fresh air, clean water, and a healthy climate, yet humans have clear-cut the forests and captured orangutans at an extraordinary rate. Orangutan Outreach believes in collaboration so that we can right this wrong and give orangutans a second chance at life in the wild. Through rescue, rehabilitation, release, and reforestation, we can ensure a future for orangutans that will also benefit human communities.”

Our Guardian Orangutan: Papa

One of the ways Buddies for Paws supports Orangutan Outreach is through guardianship, and we’re proud to be the official guardian of Papa, a gentle giant living at a sanctuary in Borneo.

As his guardian, Buddies for Paws helps fund Papa’s daily care, including nutritious food, enrichment activities, and veterinary support to keep him safe, healthy, and happy.

Through guardianship programs like this, Orangutan Outreach ensures that orangutans who may never return to the wild still have a high quality of life in a natural, stimulating environment.

Why Their Work Matters

Orangutans are critically endangered. Habitat loss, deforestation for agriculture and development, and the illegal wildlife trade have left populations struggling to survive.

Many rescued orangutans are infants who have lost their mothers to poaching or logging. Without intervention, these young orangutans would not survive.

Orangutan Outreach works with local partners such as the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF), International Animal Rescue (IAR), and the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) to rescue these individuals, provide forest school rehabilitation, and, where possible, release them back to the wild.

Andrea Knox, Senior Program Manager at Orangutan Outreach, says:

“To secure a future for orangutans and the forests of Borneo and Sumatra, we all must play a role. Our collaboration with Buddies for Paws is our newest, but it has already had a huge impact on orangutan conservation. In these first few months, we have been able to educate new audiences about orangutan conservation, raise funds for the development of new sanctuary islands for unreleasable orangutans like Papa, and build a lasting partnership that will only continue to grow.”

How Donations Help

Donations made through Buddies for Paws help fund a wide range of Orangutan Outreach’s vital activities, including:

• Food, medical care, and enrichment for orangutans in care
• Emergency rescues and translocations
• Sanctuary development and upgrades
• Release programs for orangutans who can return to the wild

Because BONK matches 100% of every donation made through Buddies for Paws, your support goes even further, helping more orangutans, funding more rescues, and protecting more rainforest habitat.

Join Us in Protecting Orangutans

We’re proud to stand with Orangutan Outreach and to be the guardian of Papa. Your support helps care for orangutans like him while also protecting the forests they call home.

Donate through Buddies for Paws and BONK will match your donation 100%, doubling the impact.

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