Why Orangutans Matter

There is something remarkably human about looking into the eyes of an orangutan.

Their expressions, intelligence and behaviour feel familiar, and for good reason. Orangutans are one of our closest living relatives, but their importance extends far beyond that connection.

They are an essential part of the forests they inhabit.

As orangutans travel and feed, they disperse seeds throughout the forest, helping new plants and trees grow. Protecting orangutans therefore means protecting much more than one species. It means protecting the wider ecosystem that depends on the same habitat.

Yet those habitats have come under enormous pressure.

Deforestation, habitat fragmentation and human development have dramatically changed parts of their natural environment. When forests become smaller and separated, orangutans have fewer places to feed, breed and move safely.

This is why the orangutan became the subject of The Last Tree, the opening artwork in the Through Their Eyes collection.

Wildlife art can be beautiful without ignoring the reality facing the animals it depicts.

For me, the two should exist together.

The portrait draws you in. The story gives you a reason to keep looking.

That principle sits at the heart of The Beast in Me Art: creating work that celebrates extraordinary wildlife while also encouraging conversation about the world those animals are trying to survive in.