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This orangutan’s desperate attempt to defend its home from a digger shows the heartbreaking reality of deforestation in Borneo.

The ginger ape scurries along a fallen tree trunk towards the digger, which has destroyed everything in sight.

It appears to lunge at the heavy machinery as the claw comes down, and it falls helplessly into the branches below.

A rescue worker from International Animal Rescue (IAR) can be seen in the video, edging closer with a dart gun as the orangutan falls.


The orangutan desperately tries to grab a hold of the digger (Picture: AsiaWire/International Animal Rescue)

A spokesman for the non-profit organisation said the man managed to rescue the animal and take it to safety.



The organisation runs an orangutan rescue operation and rehabilitation centre in Ketapang, in west Borneo, where the logged forest is believed to be located.

It is home to more than 100 orangutans rescued from habitats destroyed by loggers.

The shocking footage was shared online this week to coincide with World Environment Day on Tuesday.

The helpless ape has seen his whole habitat destroyed by loggers (Picture: AsiaWire/International Animal Rescue)

IAR wrote on Facebook: ‘Despite all the obstacles thrown at them, our team were able to rescue this orangutan and bring him to safety.

‘Unfortunately, scenes like this are becoming more and more frequent in Indonesia.

‘Deforestation has caused the orangutan population to plummet; habitats are destroyed and orangutans are left to starve and die.’

There are an estimated 100,000 orangutans left in Borneo, a third of the tally in 1973.

If nothing is done to help them, animal campaigners predict there could be as few as 47,000 orangutans left by 2025.