The expression "eyes are the windows to the soul" is usually associated with humans. Yet when photographing other great apes, it's clear that there are sentient beings behind the eyes looking back through the lens.
The orangutan population has declined significantly over the past hundred years due to habitat destruction for palm oil plantations in Sumatra and Borneo. Without sustainable agriculture practices, orangutans will become the first great ape species to become extinct.
Long before genetic testing revealed the 96.4% DNA overlap between orangutans and humans, people had noticed the similarities between the two. The name 'orangutan' itself comes from the Malay and Indonesian words orang (people) and hutan (forest).
As part of this project, I teamed up with the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. They are doing incredible work reintroducing captured or orphaned orangutans back into the wild and protecting their native habitat.
This exhibition is part of the Head On Photo Festival Perth, presented by the Head On Foundation.
The orangutan population has declined significantly over the past hundred years due to habitat destruction for palm oil plantations in Sumatra and Borneo. Without sustainable agriculture practices, orangutans will become the first great ape species to become extinct.
Long before genetic testing revealed the 96.4% DNA overlap between orangutans and humans, people had noticed the similarities between the two. The name 'orangutan' itself comes from the Malay and Indonesian words orang (people) and hutan (forest).
As part of this project, I teamed up with the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. They are doing incredible work reintroducing captured or orphaned orangutans back into the wild and protecting their native habitat.
This exhibition is part of the Head On Photo Festival Perth, presented by the Head On Foundation.