I really love orangutans, lovely creatures they are, and reading this bit of news saddens me:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp...12&sec=apworld
Quote:
Southeast Asia's Sumatra and Borneo islands are the orangutans' last homes, and environmentalists say the estimated 60,000 animals remaining could disappear from the wild within the next decade.
Hundreds of fires set annually by Indonesian farmers, plantation owners and palm oil companies are speeding things along, they say.
This year's blazes are some of the worst in 10 years and have sent a thick, choking haze over much of the region, especially Indonesia's Sumatra island and Borneo -- which is shared by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
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It's true. The haze problem in this part of the world is getting worst every year. I wasn't there this year when the haze returned, but my friends emailed me and told me how bad it's getting. We're getting really pissed of with the Indonesian government. They keep promising they'll do something about the forest fires, but it never fails! Every year, during exactly the same season the haze comes back. Worst part is, a lot of the animals are suffering from this - especially the endangered species.
I don't know if it's fair to pin the blame 100% on the government, since there are still a surprising amount of ignorant people doing landclearings and open burnings in the forest without thinking of the consequences. I'm sure that most of them are aware that it's illegal.
Damn, I melt everytime I look at pictures of these creatures. They're so sweet to look at. I hate it when people don't respect Mother Nature!!!
*storms off*
