GUESS WHAT??

Here’s What!!

Burger King dumps Indonesian palm oil company

“Burger King joins the likes of Unilever, Nestle and Kraft in shunning Sinar Mas.

US fast food giant Burger King said it would no longer buy palm oil from Sinar Mas or its subsidiaries after Greenpeace campaigned against the Indonesian group’s land-clearing practices.

Burger King joins the likes of Unilever, Nestle and Kraft in shunning Sinar Mas in a move that will increase pressure on other corporate buyers of its palm oil products, such as Pizza Hut, KFC, and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Indonesia is the biggest producer of palm oil which is used in everything from biscuits to cosmetics, but environmentalists say plantations are driving deforestation blamed for habitat loss and greenhouse gases.

Burger King said a recent independent audit of Sinar Mas palm oil unit SMART’s land-clearing practices – commissioned by Sinar Mas in response to the Greenpeace allegations – revealed activities “inconsistent with our corporate responsibility commitments”.

“We believe the report has raised valid concerns about some of the sustainability practices of Sinar Mas’ palm oil production and its impact on the rainforest,” Burger King said on its Facebook page.

“As part of our… corporate responsibility program, Burger King Corp. is committed to sourcing our products from sustainable suppliers.”

It said it was looking for a new palm oil supplier for the 176 Burger King restaurants supplied by Sinar Mas.

“In addition, we are notifying our suppliers of our intent to discontinue the use of palm oil supplied by Sinar Mas in the manufacturing of our products.”

Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology (SMART) has been struggling to repair its image after a Greenpeace name-and-shame campaign led several foreign buyers to cancel major contracts.

Greenpeace says the company is clearing high-value peat forest against Indonesian law and failing to wait for environmental studies before starting plantation operations in sensitive areas of Borneo island.

The company has accepted mistakes have been made in small areas but denies it is a “forest destroyer” as claimed by environmentalists.

Rampant deforestation, much of it illegal, is a major reason Indonesia is the world’s third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and is driving species like Sumatran tigers and orangutans to extinction.

SMART’s credibility took a blow last month when auditors Control Union Certification and BSI Group, authors of the independent verification report, complained that it had misrepresented elements of their findings.

The company had trumpeted their report as evidence that Greenpeace’s allegations were false, but the auditors said the probe’s “key findings” included that it had violated Indonesian law on forest management.

It also found that SMART had launched operations on almost 94,000 acres of land on Borneo before mandatory environmental studies had been completed.

The company was also found to have planted palm oil crops in high-value deep peatland, but not to the extent claimed by Greenpeace.

Greenpeace welcomed Burger King’s announcement and urged other US fast food chains to follow suit.

Greenpeace forest campaigner Rolf Skar wrote in a blog: “This is another blow for Sinar Mas, which had hoped its self-commissioned audit would convince corporate customers and the media that it was a sustainable company.

“But, this obvious exercise in greenwash isn’t going well for them.”

He said the announcement was “good news for rainforests, orangutans, tigers, and our climate”.

SMART president director Daud Dharsono has rejected any suggestion the company was trying to dodge the findings of its own audit or mislead shareholders.”

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/02/3001201.htm

Hello Heather from the OFI Care Center!

What a cute baby!!!!

Hot Topic:

Orangutans employ the ‘Leaf Trick’ when threatened by predators.

In response to potential predators such as snakes, leopards, tigers, or humans, orangutans make sounds known as “kiss squeaks”.  These distressed calls are called kiss squeaks because the orangutans take a sharp intake of breath through pursed lips causing a squeaky kiss sound.

There are 3 types of kiss squeaks:

Just the mouth

With a leaf against the mouth

With a hand against the mouth

The squeak sounds are modified by the leaf or by the hand making the sound deeper, therefore tricking predators into thinking the orangutan is a much larger animal.  This is very helpful in protecting oneself in the forest because most of the time orangutans are not completely visible to their predators.  Therefore potential threats are more likely to avoid them because they think they are much bigger in size.

What is interesting is that this is socially learned practices.  Apes copy others and continue these behaviors.

Sound modification is also found in chimpanzees’ calls.  Chimps will modify their sounds in order to clarify which community groups they are a part of.

Click here to hear the kiss squeaks of orangutans with and without leaves!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8184015.stm

BYE BYE SUMMER!!!!

Coming up this Friday September 3rd the Red Ape Exhibit at the Oregon Zoo will open.

This is a brand new 5,400 square foot outdoor space where orangutans and gibbons will be able to swing from rope vines and play.  It is normal for gibbons and orangutans to share space in zoos, but sometimes gibbons pester the orangutans.  This is why the gibbons were introduced to the new enclosure first, followed by the orangutans.

The space was built after Dave Thomas, senior primate keeper, said that the primates needed much more space in which to move about and challenge their creativity and high intelligence.

At the Oregon Zoo there are 2 gibbons, Duffy and Phyllis, and 2 orangutans, Inji and Kutai.

Inji, a 116lb redhead, is known for her attitude.  Kutai, a 16 year-old 225lb male is known for his curiosity and problem solving skills.

The orangutan, who has lived at the zoo since he was 7, had flattened cardboard boxes, connected them somehow and slid them under the mesh cage wall until they reached a tool rack. He maneuvered the cardboard so it grabbed a broom, then pulled the broom into his cage.

Thomas is certain Kutai will discover trouble with Red Ape Reserve — design flaws or construction errors. Animals usually let the humans know what they’ve done wrong.

“There’ll be a punch list,” he said. “Kutai will dig. He’ll find things.”

The new space increases the primate’s habitats by more than 3.5 times what it was.

When the gate slid open a little after 9 a.m. Aug. 17 and Inji climbed outside, the gibbons went on high alert. Phyllis, who is about 40, kept her distance at first. Not Duffy. The 16-year-old swung to within 6 or 7 feet of the orangutan and hung by his hands from a rope, eyeballing her.

Then, in a whoosh, he vanished around a corner.

Inji craned her head to see where he’d gone.

The morning was warm. Sun dappled the exhibit’s bamboo. Birdsong and children’s chatter filled the air. Nearby, an elephant trumpeted. For the orangutan, all of it was new.

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/08/moving_day_at_the_oregon_zoo_z.html

What’s coming up??

Join us as we raise both funds and awareness for
Orangutan conservations and aid the fight against deforestation

When: Wednesday, September 8th, 2010
Where: Stone Creek Bar/Lounge – Back Room
140 E. 27th St. (Btw 3rd & Lex)
Time: 6:00p – 10:00p

We kindly suggest a donation of $5 at the door

Bar Special:
Beer $3-$4 (bottled $5-$6)
Wine $5
Mixed Drinks $4-$7

Stay Fresh, Stay Green, Get WILD!

For additional information please email: JVeras@wildboyclothing.com

www.wildboyclothing.com

If you’re in the area drop by!!!

Are you in Socal???

Come see us this Sunday at the USA Track and Field 1 mile road race!! We will be at the El Toro Airfield in IRVINE at 7am!

OFI will be there with a booth!  AND!  We will be selling discount 2009 race t-shirts!

http://www.roadmile.org/

Come say hello!  Run the mile race and prepare for our 3 miler September 26th!!

To begin your weekend:

Here is a cute story about how a gentle Dutch orangutan scientist, Willie Smits, helped two orangutans to find love.

“The zoo had put the two orangutans together in a cage as a kind of arranged marriage, but nothing was happening and the zoo officials were baffled. Human beings expect the brute biology of sexuality to take over and failed to appreciate that orangutans need to be in the mood too. They can get tangled in misunderstandings and blocked by contrary emotions.

In the Hong Kong zoo, Smits could see that the male, Mendu, and female, Raba, were attracted to each other, but Mendu was behaving like a shy and socially awkward teenager who does not fathom the strange and incomprehensible world of the female.

Smits worked to encourage and clarify the feelings of Mendu through sounds of a kind of intuitive emotional tonal language. It may come from the way language and his relations with others developed in him as a child outside a conventional development pattern.

Smits and Mendu touched each other through the wire mesh and at one point Mendu made the generous and symbolic offer of an orange seed extended on his big orangutan lips. Smits startled the zoo officials by accepted the seed from orangutans lips to his own, like teenagers passing chewing gum from mouth to mouth.

The discussion with Smits loosened Mendu up and that both fascinated and encouraged Raba. Orangutan females don’t like to be dominated by a male any more than human females. Romances work best in both worlds when the initial choice comes from the female.

Raba started to tease Mendu, but Mendu misunderstood the teasing as rejection, the same complaint you often hear from women that men don’t understand the signals that women think are so clear. Raba was slapping Mendu on the head and spitting water at him. The difference between rejection and teasing is sometimes too subtle for the male mind to grasp.

But with a little more soothing and communication, Smits helped Mendu get into a receptive mood that opened Raba to him.

That led inevitably to foreplay and love making”

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-intimate-ape/201005/the-man-who-helps-orangutans-find-love

GUESS WHAT??

Here’s What!!

We have ONE MONTH EXACTLY until the

Save the Orangutans

5K

Run for Survival!!!

September 26 2010

Have you signed up yet?

Better hurry!

Price goes up September 24th!

Sign up here:

http://www.active.com/running/encino-ca/save-the-orangutans-5k-run-for-survival-and-kiddie-fun-run-2010

Get sponsored!  Fundraise on your own for the OFI run and add your photos or videos to your very own sponsorship page!

http://www.firstgiving.com/orangutanfoundationinternational

Sign up!  This event is going to be the best we have to date!!!

IMAX has joined us as one of our official GOLDEN sponsors!

RUNNERGY will host our PRE-RACE PACKET PICK UP! They will also run our awards ceremony and they are also a GOLDEN sponsor!

Noon to 5pm September 25, 2010

RUNNERGY

14082 Ventura Blvd,

Sherman Oaks 91423

THE FIRST 12 PEOPLE GET A FREE GIFT FROM RUNNERGY!

Dr. Galdikas will be there this year to honor the runners and thank our wonderful sponsors!!!

JOIN US!

Get your race gear ahead of time and help us to promote for our event!

Visit our store!  Tonz o’ stuff with our RACE logo!!!

http://www.zazzle.com/orangutan_art_skateboard-186033020599713914

better RUN or WALK to it!

30 days and here it is!!!!!!!!!

GUESS WHAT??

Here’s What!!

Whistle Away With Bonnie!

At the Washington National Zoo, Bonnie, a 32 year old orangutan, has taken up whistling.  This is not rare for orangutans to whistle.  Often they are taught to whistle by zookeepers.  However, Bonnie has begun her musical career on her own!

She imitates the whistles of zookeepers and workers who are sweeping floors and cleaning windows.

Bonnie enjoys both long and shorts whistles!

click here to see Bonnie’s music video!

http://www.newser.com/story/51412/whistling-orangutan-surprises-scientists.html

Sad News

On August 11 25-year-old Jaura, an orangutan at the St. Louis Zoo passed away after a routine physical exam.  Veterinarians used an anesthesia during the examination.  It is reported that due to this anesthesia Jaura went into respiratory arrest.   Though slow to arise after the examination he seemed ok.  The vets watched him until early evening. He passed away a few hours later.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which regulates animal welfare at zoos, was notified of Juara’s death, Powell said.

Jaura was one of 3 orangutans at the zoo and was the only male.  He was approximately 375 pounds.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/08/11/Zoo-orangutan-dies-after-routine-checkup/UPI-95471281544025/

This is such devastating news.   It’s scary to think he died after the examination.  What went wrong?  Maybe the drug was too much for him?

This is interesting.

Researchers have taught a 29 year old Bonobo to understand English.

Kanzi responds to researcher’s basic demands as a toddler would.   Some of these demands include; cut up the onion, put salt on the beach ball, put soap in the water, and could you take the television outside please.

Kanzi has been taught English at the research centre of the Great Ape Trust in Des Moines, Iowa.  There Kanzi is one of seven apes.

His vocabulary at the last count consisted of 384 words,  and not all easy words such at toy, ball, or run!  He understands “concept words” such as from and later and he comprehends the difference between past tense and current tense.

Though Kanzi has a loud voice he has trouble forming words and so he cannot exactly speak.  In order to communicate he points to symbols on laminated sheets which represent the words he has learned.

At the Great Ape Trust apes are taught language and sign language, however Kanzi is the first to truly learn it by being exposed to it.

Some of the ’speech’ of the Iowa apes is astonishing. When primatologist Sue Savage-Rumbaugh asked Kanzi ‘Are you ready to play?’ after a delay in finding the ball he liked playing with, the bonobo pointed to the symbols for ‘past’ and ‘ready’, displaying a near-human talent for sarcasm.

GUESS WHAT??

Here’s What!!

It seems monkeys comfort each other after witnessing conflict or upsetting sightings!

At the University of Florence in Italy a group of researchers observed 2 captive groups of Macaques for a period of 7 months.

They noticed that after one bystander macaque witnessed a second macaque acting in an aggressive manner the bystander would affiliate with another non-aggressive bystander.  By affiliating, they mean that the macaque would sit with, groom, or play with another within 5 minutes of witnessing the aggressive behavior.

This is interesting because they believed it to show that macaques seek comfort in each other after witnessing conflict.  They believe it to mean that after seeing something which upsets them they come together to decrease tension in the group.

“After witnessing a conflict, bystander macaques tend to appear unusually agitated, scratching themselves more than normal, for instance. Once the macaques affiliated with each other, however, they seemed to calm down.”

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19325-monkeys-comfort-each-other-after-conflict.html