The Man Who Speaks Monkey | Sumatra Indonesia

I am in Bukit Luang with my friend Lillix, the man who talks to monkeys. Lillix grew up in a small village in the jungles of Indonesia, and from a young age, learned to love the jungle. Ever since he was six years old his father would take him to explore the most remote parts of the jungle to help him develop an appreciation for its beauty and importance.

The jungle became Lillix’s second home, and it was here, in the dense jungles of Sumatra that Lillix first encountered the incredibly rare, and beautiful orangutan. Orangutan literally translates to ”man of the jungle’ or ‘jungle man’ because centuries ago, local villagers thought they were little people living in the jungle. Lillix loves them so much that he has actually learned to speak their language! Now Lillix helps hundreds of visitors each year to learn about and see these incredible animals.

Wild Orangutans can only be found in two locations in the entire world, Borneo and Sumatra, and they are at risk of becoming extinct due to extreme logging, Palm Oil plantations, and habitat loss. In fact, in Sumatra they aren’t classified as just endangered, they are classified as critically endangered. In the last 20 years Orangutans have lost over 80% of their habitat.

People like Lillix have dedicated their lives to the preservation and awareness of the orangutans, but he can’t be an army of one and solve such a big problem alone. He and others like him need your help to protect these incredible animals and ensure their preservation for future generations. If we don’t do something about the current situation orangutans will be extinct in less than 10 years. They need our support or we may lose the chance to see these amazing and incredible animals where they belong, in the jungles of Bukit Lawang.

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