A rescued orangutan remains in a critical state after doctors found the animal with 74 gunshot wounds inflicted by poachers.

Doctors are battling to save the life of the poor animal, which has been named Hope by her rescuers, but tragically her baby has died from severe injuries and starvation.

The mother has been left blinded by attacks by hunters on Sumatra island, Indonesia, but doctors from the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme are doing all they can to help Hope recover.

X-rays taken by the conservationists found the extent of her injuries, as she had several broken bones, infections and has been left totally blind.

The group have rescued 15 orangutans in recent months, and have found a total of more than 500 air pellet wounds.

Hope was almost starving to death when she was found, but it was too late for her child.

Endangered

Latest estimates suggest that a devastating 150,000 orangutans have been lost from Borneo’s forests in the last 16 years.

That’s more than half of the entire orangutan population, as there are now only between 70,000 and 100,000 remaining.

Conservationists estimate that numbers could fall by 45,000 in the next 35 years if nothing is done to help the critically endangered animals.

Petition

A petition has been launched to seek justice for Hope and discover who is responsible for her injuries and the death of her child.

The petition reads: “Her injuries weren’t natural. They were caused by cruel men who, for some reason, used her body as if it were a bullseye and riddled her with bullets.

“Hope is just the latest victim. Now this beautiful “person of the forest” will have no other choice but to live the rest of her days in captivity, in darkness, cared for by animal rescuers.”

Protections

Orangutan numbers are declining due to poachers and their habitats being destroyed to make way for palm oil plantations.

The petition continues: “Without serious protections, they will soon disappear and we will never get them back.

“That’s why it is so important for Indonesian authorities to take the maiming of Hope extremely seriously. They should do everything they can to find and punish the people who did this to her and caused the death of her child.

“Please sign the petition and demand justice for Hope. Sign and tell the Ministry of the Environment and Forestry to continue their search for Hope’s attackers.”

• Read: 109 cats rescued from trailer riddled with ‘fleas, flies and maggots’ in bizarre hoarding case

The petition can be signed here.

Oli Gross

Oli’s career and personal ethical values both help shape his reporting of the diverse world of veganism. His background is in local newspaper and magazine journalism, and his work has included reporting court cases, celebrity interviews, business analysis, food and drink features and government legislation.

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