Download or read book Orangutans and Their Battle for Survival written by Leif Cocks and published by Tuart House. This book was released on 2002 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With the arrival of European explorers in Southeast Asia around 300 years ago, the orangutan - the world's second-largest ape and one of our closest biological relatives - began a battle for survival. As the rainforest was cleared and burnt, and the orangutans were poached and sold, remnant populations have dwindled to alarmingly small numbers. This is the amazing story of how a small Australian zoo offers hope for the orangutans, through its very successful captive breeding program. The story is told through the eyes and heart of Leif Cocks, whose personal encounters with the orangutans in his care have enabled him to provide fascinating insights into their unique intelligence and individual personalities. The photographs capture some wonderful moments in the orangutan enclosures at the zoo.