Critically Endangered

I’ve just returned from a life changing two week trip to the island of Sumatra. It’s been nearly two years of planning and the project is called Spotlight Sumatra. Sumatran Orangutans are afforded the highest protection in law, these species are classified as critically endangered by the world conservation union – IUCN yet they are killed, kidnapped and poached, shot at, trapped and hurt each day in Sumatra. They are in the way, their home of protected park is being eroded around the edges with illegal logging each week and the Indonesian government does nothing to protect them or their homes.

I was working with SOS (Sumatran Orangutan Society) staff on the ground, living rough and photographing these amazing animals that are on the very brink of extinction. I trekked through some of the world’s most amazing rainforests, climbed trees, camped and washed with rain water to capture the images I have done and that will form part of the presentations I will be doing in conjunction with this charity in the coming months.

After my several days in the jungles we headed to another place but on the way we had a call and everything changed. A female and her baby were trapped in an area known to SOS and OIC the guys on the ground . I was on the way north to an area that’s totally ravaged by palm oil.

We stayed in a local’s house almost ten of us sleeping on the floor on mats. I watched and photographed the vet and staff getting ready for the rescue before getting a little sleep. Dawn broke and we were up, coffee is amazing in Sumatra one of their many exports. The team went through what everyone was going to do just before the final drop off as we all prepared to see if the female and her baby could be moved and in turned saved from the vile landscape that had surrounded her.
The team were successful, but it was hard to watch as the Orangutans became very stressed. This is the very last resort the team have and try all other possibilities beforehand. Hearing their dislike and upset is tough and in the end they managed to dart the female and she dropped from the tree into the net below. She was then moved up on to flat land so the vet could do his checks.

Before this though the baby has to be separated from its mother straight away. This again was shocking to see and hear as the young baby wouldn't let go. As the mother was being checked on the ground I took this image of her, the net in which she fell can be seen and her face and eyes will live with me forever, a cold, clear painless look that I hope I've captured with this image.

Soon afterwards both were released into a safer place away from this area they had become trapped in. An amazing place and amazing Orangutans, you can read more of this trip on SOS’s website and hopefully I will be doing several blogs over the coming weeks

http://longcall.wordpress.com/

Thanks for reading

Nikon D4
Nikon 70-200mm
F5.6,1/1000,ISO 2000
Matrix
Full Frame

Amazing experience and valuable work, I have seen, as i am sure many have, the palm olive plantations in Borneo and visited an orangutang sanctuary, I was, though, lucky enough to see i wild orangutang in Sabah and that will stay with me. Look forward to reading your blog

Craig that must have been a very real experience to see all this ,pleased you have told us the story of these magnificent animals and i do think your excellent image says it all.
Thanks Keith.

This image is very powerful Craig and is quite symbolic. The future of these beautiful animals who are so close to us in evolution terms is literally in our hands. Therein lies the problem because the habitat which they need to survive is seen as just another source of money and unbelievably in the 21st century there are certain countries who revere their body parts and trade in them. This may sound pessimistic but I fear for these creatures and many who are on the brink of extinction because until mankind learns to live with nature and stop wantonly destroying it there is litle hope and whilst I fully applaud and support the work of these rescue places unless the habitat is secured for the future and is restored where needed there cannot be a place for them in mans world. Maybe this is what evolution is about.......one species rises to dominate the planet but with intelligence and emotions who is greedy and jealous and covetous and who has the intelligence to create powerful tools and weapons to destroy its own world and currently seems pretty hell bent on it. Maybe evolution has determined that we will ultimately destroy this beautiful planet. I hope I am wrong. As I say Craig this is a very powerful image.

On a photographic note that D4 is awesome and the detail is incredible and I note shot at ISO 2000. Stunning shot and whilst I find it upsetting as does the story it HAS to be told and we NEED to listen and act NOW.

Nick.

This is a great piece of photojournalism that captures the strong emotions of the situation. I do hope that mother and baby make it, but theirs is a world that is shrinking all too rapidly.

David

As I said Craig this is strong stuff and I look forward to hearing about it soon

Bob

It has been said, I will only add that this does look like she took a self portrait "Look at me, being rescued becasue there was no other way!" Palm oil, we don't use whales anymore but still find ways to trash this place.

Thank you for your comments gents and those that looked but for some reason were unable to comment. Both were released into a better place for the moment and are doing ok. There are others left behind in this vile place they find themselves in, cut of by palm oil.

Nick thank you your words were very moving and very nice, the only real answer is for the counrty to protect these forests first and foremost otherwise its just a waiting game until them vanish. I' have wanted to help these amazing animals for a long time after a childhood love of them. I am helping this charity, I will be returning to work on the ground for SOS photographing more and more over time. I am also doing some talks showing and presenting images and films from my two weeks there. 25th October I'm in London then 26th I am in Chester Zoo all monies going to this cause.

For my thoughts on this trip please have a look here - http://longcall.wordpress.com/


Many thanks again to everyone of you for your time and kind words, many thanks

Apposite video on here Craig.

http://www.greeniacs.com/GreeniacsArticles/Land/Deforestation.html?gclid=CIeywduK5bICFYXJtAoduhkAkg

We were/are just as guilty here in the UK

http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/forest/humanimpacts/deforestation.html

Is sustainability the answer? I for one hope it is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainability

I agree with Nick's sentiments, though, like him, I hope we are wrong. Only time will tell.

Perhaps one solution lies here. No more deforestation for mineral extraction.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_mining

If I were a little younger I would love to get into something like you are doing.
Keep at it !
Cheers
JR

Fantastic work, great story and I absotutely agree with all the sentiment above, Nick puts it very well.

However, I struggle with the angles in the photo, basically I keep turning my laptop upside down to look at it again. This way up you get a stunning connection with the face and the expression, but to me it looks kind of, well, wrong. Turn it upside down and well, it looks right but I am unsure if i get the same connection. Not sure if this makes any sence. I take it this image as seen here has been flipped 180degrees.

Also my apologies to those with nice big monitors and I am not responsible for any injuries caused by hanging upside down or standing on your head.

I know my comments seam a bit petty given the bigger picture and I do what I can to avoid palm oil but this is a photo critique forum.

Ian

A very nice shot Craig . You could possibly make it a touch stronger and help draw the viewer in to the eyes even more by doing some careful & gentle vignetting - especially around the lower part of the image where it's lighter close to the arms.

Epic stuff Craig

Ditto Nicks suggestion - a touch of dark vignetting, or negative radial exposure around the lower third of the image will make perfect.

Very moving imagery.

Thank you for your comments gents, Nick & Andy thanks but I would'nt no where to start with Vignetting lol I will have to attend one of your processing courses Andy still need to improve this side of my work

A great piece of photojournalism Craig. The inclusion of the hand certainly helps to put it in context.

Kudos to you Craig for a stunning piece of photojournalism.

We are always blinded to the plight of nature when money is to be made, morality always takes a back seat in the church of the quid.... A very poignant image you've posted. Very upsetting too.

Thank you theres more from my first week in Sumatra up on my blog, many thanks