These gentle giants of the forest by Ron Krueger

Orang utans are often referred to as great apes. They are truly magnificent creatures so I've been told. I've only ever seen them in the zoo and every time I've visited I've been mesmerised by their tranquility, charm and grace.

I believe that these great apes and humans have one thing in common – 97% DNA. Unfortunately, that’s all we seem to have in common as we continue to desecrate their habitats or kill them as pests.

Unless they're well ensconced in a zoo, these animals lead a perilous life. They are constantly under threat from loggers. Mothers are killed for their babies to be sold on black markets as pets. Fires burn them to death. The ever increasing palm oil plantations destroy where they live.

These gentle giants need our help. I'll get there one day – to the forests – before it's too late and they completely disappear which experts say could be 10 or 15 years away.

We just have a tendency as humans to often think about ourselves, let alone others, and as for animals - well they hardly get a mention. Just look at the number of dogs and cats we dispose of each year. But that's another matter.

I’ve coined a new word – ‘orangutarian’. There are lots of individuals worldwide who are caring, kind and gentle just as the orang utans – and are helping them to survive. They are ‘orangutarians’ in my view.

We’re a bunch of ‘orangutarians’ and we’re trying to make a small difference. As a quote I recently read said: ‘Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something.’

So we're trying to do something. If you or, your children want to see one of these beautiful animals gracing the trees of an Indonesian forest, help us to help them by clicking on the bright blue link above to make a tax deductible donation.