A group of rescued orangutan babies gripped each other closely as they were transported in a wheelbarrow – and the fascinating sight is capturing international attention.
Mimicking the behavior of some children, certain orangutans are seen restless during the commute and try to hop out of the wheelbarrow. There’s one in particular that’s full of energy and eager to break some rules at the :58 mark.
These orangutans are the latest to be rescued from the International Animal Rescue, which currently has 80 in its care, including Budi who was found fighting for his life.
All of the baby orangutans at the Indonesian rehabilitation center have been orphaned because of deforestation or “cruel” pet trade. If these conditions continue, the rescue says, orangutans will be extinct in less than 25 years.
The rescue is now teaching these adorable apes to climb, play, and learn to support themselves to prepare them for the wild.
"It can take years for these animals to develop the skills and the strength they need to survive in the forest,” Lis Key, the U.K.-based rescue’s communications manager, told Mirror. “In the meantime they progress form baby school, where babies and very young infants learn to climb and play with other young orangutans, on to forest school.”
Watch the orangutans below and please SHARE to raise awareness!
