The Sumatran tiger is one of the world's most distinctive, legendary and beautiful animals.
By Anke Fachmann
Published: March, 2017
The Sumatran tiger is one of the world’s most distinctive, legendary and beautiful animals. It is also threatened by the world’s love for palm oil.
Palm oil is found in roughly half of all packaged goods; everything from cookies, chips and instant noodles to lipstick, shampoo and detergent. As the cheapest vegetable oil in the world, the skyrocketing demand for this commodity has driven industrial-scale plantations deep into the rainforests of Indonesia.
The forests of the Leuser Ecosystem on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia are no exception and are increasingly being targeted for palm oil plantations. The Leuser Ecosystem is one of the richest remaining areas of tropical rainforest in Southeast Asia, and is remarkable for its biological diversity and unique species like the Sumatran tiger.
The Leuser Ecosystem is not only important for the plants and animals that call it home, but it’s also necessary for millions of people who depend on it for a clean, steady water supply. Globally, we all depend on it: the Leuser Ecosystem plays a critical role in helping to regulate our global climate by absorbing carbon pollution and storing massive amounts of carbon in its lowland rainforests and peatlands. This region also literally gives us life by producing vast amounts of oxygen.
We all have a role to play in the palm oil story. We can #StartWith1Thing and demand that companies cut conflict palm oil from their products. Using our consumer power, we can drive a change in the way palm oil is produced.
Anke Fachmann is a graphic designer and artist who currently focuses on portraying endangered species. Transforming animals into artistic, colorful paintings and illustrations gives them a platform to be seen. Treehoppers, tarsiers, maleos and many more come to life on canvas and paper with the use of oil pastels, ink and acrylic paint, which the artist applies with her fingers. Follow her on www.instagram.com/daily_plover or go to www.thoughtsbecomeimages.com.
