Students’ Video Raises Awareness About Endangered Orangutans

Year 11 students, Katya Foong and Grace Zheng, have made two short films that explain why Indonesian Orangutans are endangered and what can be done to support the animals. The films include interviews with staff at the Wildlife Rescue Centre Jogja  who explain their conservation work.
Katya and Grace visited the center, during Quest Week 2018, which provides tools and play areas for the animals to keep them entertained. While volunteering there the pair decided to make two versions of an educational video that explains why orangutans are endangered, and what viewers can do to help.

Filming was done with support from their trip leader and Head of Explorations Ross Burrough. Once back in Hong Kong the students started the editing process. Their videos are now available on Wildstar.TV, a website specifically created for students to share their wildlife and environmental related content – globally. Their videos are also available on the Island School You Tube channel.

The SCMP Young Post interviewed them about the documentary making process. In the article available on the Young Post’s website, dated 20 Feb 2019, Grace explains that orangutans play a unique role in Indonesia’s ecosystem.

“They help spread seeds, which makes them an important part of the food chain. Without them, a lot of other species would become endangered, or even extinct,” she tells the Young Post.
Click here to read the article in full.

Katya and Grace want to make people aware that the orangutan’s habitat is being destroyed due to logging, forest fires and palm oil plantations. Their videos (a detailed and summary version) both explain what people can do to help.