“I love all living animals. I was brought up loving animals. I had a book when I was eight; on the front cover, there was a tiger and to the side was an orangutan. Those two animals, along with the barn owl, were very important in my growing up as I traced them around my school books and dreamed of seeing them. I helped all three: 21 Century Tiger, Barn Owl Trust and Orangutans SOS and OIC in Sumatra.

It’s hard to choose a favourite, as all animals are beautiful, but if I had to say one then it’s the orangutan. Several years back, I went to Sumatra to spend time with them in the jungle. What I didn’t know was how Sumatra and its wildlife was under such great pressure from Palm Oil plantations and deforestation. This set me on the path I’m on today, with several visits under my belt. I have shadowed teams on the ground in Sumatra and seen first-hand what’s happening to the orangutans and their forest homes. Sumatra is the only place where they have four of the world’s rarest animals on one island: the Sumatran Rhino, the Sumatran Elephant, the Sumatran Tiger and the Sumatran Orangutan

Orangutans are our closet living relatives, with nearly 97 per cent DNA. When you see one up-close, they are just like a human being. Their hands, their faces and their gentle mannerisms are amazing and so calming to be around. Once they accept you and understand that you’re no threat, if you’re lucky, you can sit and watch them from a safe distance just going about their lives around you. The images I have taken I hope reflect their beauty and these special and priceless moments I have been lucky enough to share.

Not a day goes or week goes by that I’m not in some way reminded of them. I have a massive glass print of a female Sumatran orangutan on my office wall, so they are rarely out of my thoughts. I use photography as a medium to give these critically endangered Sumatran orangutans a voice around the world and will continue too for as long as I’m healthy and can walk. It’s not until you have seen one and been around one that you will fully understand: they truly are us and we are them.”

www.craigjoneswildlifephotography.co.uk
www.instagram.com/craigjoneswildlifephotography

My Big 5

Orangutan
Tiger
Wolf
Golden Langer
Otter