August 30, 2017. Borneo, Malaysia. Wiped off sweat, drank some water, and adjusted my camera settings. Branches breaking, gasps from people, and I look up. 20 feet away is the gigantic male Orangutan looking at me. Exactly like he is, in this position. We stared at each other for what seemed like forever, as I slowly backed away. But not before taking this photo...
Orangutans are 6 times stronger than a human, and have amazing speed. And that is one heck of a beard! Oh eeeh... Did you know that orangutans are among the most intelligent primates?! They use a wide variety of sophisticated tools to construct their nests and live in trees most of the time. They have been extensively studied for their behavior. Unfortunately, they are endangered animals so we all have a duty to protect them. Borneo lost more than 100,000 Orangutans from 1999 to 2015 :(