This orphaned baby orangutan clings to its adopted mother, needing a moment of quiet time after a long & silly play session. She sensitively cares for him as if he were her own. The bond between babies and their mothers is strong. Babies stay with their mothers for several years before going off on their own. Young orangutans are usually weaned around 4 years of age. These two are inseparable for now, as long as the palm oil plantations don’t take over their habitat. With logging and fires to clear the forest for palm oil, their natural environment is one of the most threatened on earth.

Borneo 2018

Limited edition fine art print of 6

Photo © copyright by Derek Nielsen