Maximillian was the largest Sumatran orangutan we ever met.
He was gentle unless you were an enemy, then he would stomp and fret.
His three hundred pounds made an impressive sight in the jungle wild.
He often threw a baby fit reminiscent of a two or three-year-old child.
He lived to be thirty-seven, which is a record for orangutans they say.
He had a great life and liked giving the eye to animals far away.
Mama taught him to laugh and dance, but he was a one-trick boy.
Designing orangutan huts for his friends was his biggest joy.
Sumatran Orangutans are listed as, critically endangered
They are found in, in the provinces of North Sumatra and Aceh
with only nine populations, that number about two hundred and fifty
but because of human populations, their numbers are not pretty
Orangutans live their lives, exclusively living among the trees
and females hardly go to ground, with males are seen there rarely
Orangutans like to hangout and eat, in the breeze of the fruit trees
with adult females cradling young, and adult males being solitary
Orangutans play a vital role, for the health of their natural forests
as they eat and dispose seeds, when they have to go to the dunny
If Orangutans become extinct, the natural forests will not look sunny
as we would lose many tree species, because of, the greed of money
Sumatran Rhinos are listed as, critically endangered
and are now classified as, “functionally extinct”
as they are only seen in zoos, for their genes to be preserved
but the death of two subspecies, makes them so distinct
Sumatran Rhinos used to live, on Borneo and Sumatra islands
and are the smallest, of the living Asian Rhinos
These Rhinos have two horns, very unique to these hinterlands
and their long hair relates them to, the ancient Woolly Rhino
Poaching of Rhino horns, are sold on the black market
for medicine and ornaments, that makes them a big target
and the biggest markets, are in China and Vietnam
as the greed of money, is a worldwide human scam
Sumatran Tigers are listed as, critically endangered
They are found in Asia, only on the island of Sumatra
and are the smallest sub-species, existing well before Cleopatra
with their colorful amenities, and their traditional accessories
These Tigers live with, Elephants, Rhinos and Orangutans
and their habitat is, forests grasslands and wetlands
Tigers are well known, as the “King of the Jungle”
and we should not be the ones, to make them humble
Their habitat destruction, force tigers into human corridors
but this will only predict, a desperate battle of human conflict
Sumatran Tigers have killed, livestock and the human invaders
but this is their home, that is not for, the human need of greed
Accelerating deforestation development, and rampant poaching
is destroying their evolution, and now their historic life is pending
This human timber harvesting and defragmenting, is out of control
destroying the ecological environment, and taking down their soul
Sumatran Elephants, are critically endangered
and there are local extinctions, in many places
as it is humans, who have willfully managed
to invade their territory, not leaving many spaces
Nearly 70%, of the Sumatran Elephants great habitat
has been totally destroyed, by the now known human rat
in just one generation, over two thirds of lowland forests
have been willfully razed, for business corporation profits
Humans have built, many pulp and paper industries
and constructed food generation, from oil palm plantations
creating animal, human conflict, over elephant territories
as the destruction of their land, is for human consumption
Only the male Asian Elephants, have those mighty tusks
and this makes them a be target, for the illegal black market
This cuts down their breeding, as they need a lot of conceiving
because the evil bloodline of money, is what humans are greeding
Through the forests of Sumatra
Through the dark and sweaty jungle
Proud and fearless pads the tiger
Pads through bamboo, palm, liana
Powerfully swims across the water
Webbed feet pounding ‘gainst the current,
Unaware of near extinction
Forest dwindling, disappearing
Shrinking by illegal logging
Teak for tables, chairs and profit.
Will our tiger last the decade ?
To our children, ancient history ?
Ancient history, myth and mystery
With the sun-bear and the hornbill ?
Spring to action like the tiger
Planting trees and education
Guardians all of unique creatures
We can save the Sumatran tiger.
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