Dayak Indigenous Ethnographer Dr Setia Budhi
Dr Setia Budhi: In His Own Words
Dayak Ethnographer, Senior Lecturer, Indigenous Advocate, Rainforest Conservationist in Borneo
Bio: Dr Setia Budhi
Dr Setia Budhi is a senior lecturer in Anthropology and Sociology at Universitas Lambung Mangkurat. He is an indigenous advocate, forest conservationist and a research specialist in Dayak ethnography in South, Central and East Kalimantan. He completed his PhD in 2010 at UKM Malaysia under the supervision of Prof. Awang Hasmadi Awang Moeis and Prof. Aishah Bt Mohamed. He now serves as Head of the Sociology Department and a member of the Indonesian Anthropology Association of South Kalimantan-Indonesia.
His research relates to the Dayak people and impact of socio-cultural changes, exploitation of natural resources and modernisation on their lives. In particular, he investigates how the depletion of the forest affects the availability of food sources for Indigenous Dayak peoples.
Helmeted hornbill
Ulap Doyo weaving Dr Setia Budhi 
Rhinoceros Hornbill
‘I support the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife because so far, all brands in the @RSPOtweets have been linked to #deforestation. We should replace those brands with ones that have nothing to do with #palmoil’ @setiabudhi18Tweet
‘Before #palmoil there was almost never #conflict over #land. Over 2 decades there’s been 345 conflicts between #Dayak and #palmoil companies in #Borneo. I support the #Boycott4wildlife #Boycottpalmoil movement’ @setiabudhi18
Tweet
twitter.com/setiabudhi18/statu…
‘So far, indigenous peoples have not benefited from the development of the palmoil industry’ Dr Setia Budhi @setiabudhi18 Dayak Ethnographer #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottpalmoilTweet
‘The expansion of #palmoil has created detrimental environmental impacts: #deforestation, loss of #biodiversity, #landgrabbing human rights abuses’ Setia Budhi @setiabudhi18 Dayak Ethnographer #Boycott4wildlife #Boycottpalmoil
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‘#Palmoil causes the loss of forests where indigenous people obtain food via hunting and medicine. I support the #Boycott4wildlife #Boycottpalmoil movement’ @setiabudhi18 Dayak Ethnographer
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‘Many methods have been tried before, yet #palmoil #deforestation continues to become more of a massive problem. I think the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife sends a strong message to big food companies’ @setiabudhi18 #Boycott4wildlife #Boycottpalmoil
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My research focuses on the indigenous Dayak peoples of South, Central and Eastern Kalimantan
Photo: Dayak man, Kalimantan. PxFuel.
I’ve been doing ethnographic field research since early 2013, by visiting several villages of the Dayak Siang, Dayak Bakumpai and Dayak Oot Danum tribes. My field research is related to the Dayak peoples. How the exploitation of natural resources, modernisation and the depleted forests affects their ability to find food.dr setia budhi
“I wanted to know if the younger Dayak generation were still familiar with Dayak cultural life”
In particular, how the Dayak people of the Upper Barito River responded to the extinction of animal species, depletion of forests and the impact of mining and oil palm companies. Were they still connected to the ancestral tradition of using rainforest herbs for medicine? I interviewed the traditional head known as the Damang.
[Pictured] Dr Setia Budhi
“I have watched the forests here thin out and for some time, the logs in the Barito River are pulled to the river’s mouth in South Kalimantan by large timber companies, does it include Barito Pacific Timber?”
~ Dr Setia Budhi
Dayak communities make beautiful rattan and Ayaman Purun handicrafts and have been farming peatland rice for hundreds of years and fishing along the Barito river.
“The forest is where our rattan grows and propagates. If the trees in the forest are cut down, our rattan will be exhausted. If there is no rattan, we don’t know how we will make a living to make a living, our children need to go to school.“We have a well where we keep fish. In the dry season, we take fish from the well. Now the wells where fish are stored have been evicted by oil palm plantations”
Respondents to Dr Budhi’s research.
The Barito river
This is inland from Kalimantan with dozens of different ethnicities and languages. For the journey during Ramadan in 2021, I recorded many events, one of them was the Sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples.
Originally tweeted by Dr.Setia Budhi @BerukHutan @Ethnographer (@setiabudhi18) on May 14, 2021.
One of a rainforest tree’s functions is as a Barbershop! – Don’t cut down trees!
Originally tweeted by Dr.Setia Budhi @BerukHutan @Ethnographer (@setiabudhi18) on August 17, 2021.
The Forest is the father, land is the mother and rivers are blood
“That’s the spirituality of most Dayak people in Kalimantan. They understand the interdependent nature of everything in nature.”
~ Dr Setia Budhi
Photo: Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
The land is mother – where they plant fruit, vegetables and grains for their families. The soil is mother where trees grow and develop.On these trees they harvest an abundance of creeping rattan for medicine, food and crafts.
The forest has a ritual function, a medicinal function and a family protection function.
Just compare these pictures…
Originally tweeted by Dr.Setia Budhi @BerukHutan @Ethnographer (@setiabudhi18) on July 27, 2021.
The Batang Garing symbol means to live in harmony with life
The Batang Garing Tree or the Tree of Life in Central Kalimantan is a symbol of collective identity, togetherness and is used in rituals by the Ngaju Dayak community. It’s also part of the spirituality of the Kaharingan religion.
Human beings are not fragments. Our deepest identity and social status is to be as one with the rhythm of nature
~ Dr Setia Budhi
Photo: Wrinkled Hornbill of Borneo by Steve Wilson. CC Licence
In the forest gaps, indigenous Dayak farmers plant rice;If there is no rice, then there is no ceremony;
if there is no ceremony, then they lose their religion.
A Banjarese woman, grows beans, pumpkins and spinach and later sells them to buy sugar, tea and soap, She is a farmer on peatland. (ethnographic study in a peat village July 2021).
Originally tweeted by Dr.Setia Budhi @BerukHutan @Ethnographer (@setiabudhi18) on July 24, 2021.
Local people are often often victims, as they defend their territory so as not to be displaced by oil palm
The expansion of oil palm has a massive impact on the lives of indigenous peoples
Before the existence of oil palm, there was almost never any conflict over land…
Since the palm oil industry expanded, in two decades there have been 345 conflicts between local people and palm oil companies in Borneo around the development and management of palm oil plantations. From an economic and individual perspective, this conflict is detrimental to local communities.
‘Before #palmoil there was almost never #conflict over #land. Over 2 decades there’s been 345 conflicts between #Dayak and #palmoil companies in #Borneo. I support the #Boycott4wildlife #Boycottpalmoil movement’ #landrights @setiabudhi18Tweet
Apakah akhir dari sebuah skenario bahwa Hutan dan Masayarakat Adat di Kalimantan ini akan dijadikan tempat berwisata ? dan jikalau itu maka orang Dayak akan menjadi “transmigran” di tanahnya sendiri?
Will this be used as a tourist spot? and if so, then will the Dayaks become “transmigrants” in their own land?
The most common complaint, according to reports relate to the way the company obtained (or did not obtain) approval from local communities of land acquisition
Palm oil causes the loss of forests where indigenous people obtain food via hunting and medicine. It is the loss of sacred places that have immense cultural value for indigenous Papuans.
Pollution run-off in an RSPO member palm oil plantation in Sumatra. Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
“Dayak family, Central Kalimantan” by IndoMet in the Heart of Borneo is licensed under CC BY 2.0
There is an erosion of customary values of kinship and mutual cooperation, because nowadays everything is measured by money
Women don’t want their land to be sold, they know once their land is gone, their children won’t live tomorrow
I asked these students to draw what they thought of the earth. So they drew trees, houses, ricefields, mountains and the sea.
Originally tweeted by Dr.Setia Budhi @BerukHutan @Ethnographer (@setiabudhi18) on August 22, 2021.
The weaving culture of women is fading and is being replaced by the cultural influence of oil palm plantations
Ulap Doyo is a weaving art by the Benuaq in Tanjung Isuy East Kalimantan. It’s called Doyo because the main ingredients are strong Doyo leaves that are woven together as a yarn. When the forest changed to palm oil, the Dayak lost their weaving culture.
Originally tweeted by Dr.Setia Budhi @BerukHutan @Ethnographer (@setiabudhi18) on August 27, 2021.
Ulap Doyo weaving Dr Setia Budhi 
Ulap Doyo weaving Dr Setia Budhi
The women have lost their forest where they take daily necessities for cultural purposes. For weaving from leaves, tree bark, rattan, bamboo and other swamp plants.
Photo: Dayak men, Kalimantan. PxFuel
“So far, indigenous peoples have not benefited from the development of the palm oil industry”
~ Dr Setia Budhi
There was a promise by the palm oil industry to improve the lives of indigenous peoples through plasma plantations. However, in practice plasma plantations have not had a positive impact on their lives.
Image: Dayak man, PxFuel.
The expansion of industrial land in the long term overrides Indigenous land
Field studies show that in the beginning, the community benefits from the development of the oil palm industry in terms of employment, the formation of cooperatives, and plasma schemes. However, later on, once the indigenous community become aware of the threat, they do not get anything from the palm oil companies.
I don’t believe the RSPO has a positive impact on deforestation or land-grabbing
Photo: Craig Jones Photography, the aftermath of industrial-scale destruction of a rainforest in Sumatra
The expansion of oil palm plantations has created many detrimental environmental impacts, such as deforestation, loss of biodiversity, land conflicts, labour conflicts, and social conflicts around plantations.Dr Setia Budhi
Environmental damage and social injustice were reasons why the global palm oil certification, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was established. There was also a rival certificate established in Indonesia in 2009: Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO).
In practice, requirements for oil palm certifications are easily violated
Lots of things are problematic. Often location permits are issued by the central and local governments and they neglect important social responsibilities to indigenous peoples.
Many methods have been tried before, yet deforestation continues to get more and more massive problem. I think brand boycotts send a very clear message to big food companiesdr setia budhi
So far, all brands that are members of the RSPO have been linked to deforestation. The important thing is, we actually replace those brands with ones that have nothing to do with palm oil.Dr Setia Budhi
There must be a stronger way to voice the interests of indigenous peoples and the dangers of rainforest threats for them!
‘I support the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife because so far, all brands in the @RSPOtweets have been linked to #deforestation. We should replace those brands with ones that have nothing to do with #palmoil’ @setiabudhi18Tweet
Most palm oil deforestation risk in Indonesia is concentrated on Kalimantan
[Source: Trase Insights]
Most palm oil deforestation risk in Indonesia is concentrated on Kalimantan [Source: Trase Insights 2018]
Fire and destruction of orangutan habitat in RSPO palm oil plantations in Sumatra (May 2021)
The growing demand for #PalmOil threatens Indonesia’s rainforests – with #satellite images & data @ConradinZ, @BarJack and I analysed plantations with the RSPO label to see if they hold their promise of sustainability. We looked at three common issues 👇🛰️
nzz.ch/international/nachhalti…
1) Fire outbreaks in and around palm oil concessions (often starting from slash-and-burn fires to clear land for plantations).
2) Concession that stand on former peat forests (and are thus more fire-prone).
3) The clearing of primary rainforests for new plantations.
We used #map data provided by @globalforests and @UMBaltimore, #sentinel2 images from @esa, concession boundaries from @RSPOtweets and #fire hotspot data (#VIIRS) from @NASAEarth. Oh the wonders of #OpenData #OSINT.
Read the entire article
The problem & potential of #ecolabels in 3 images: The left concession detains fires from outside thanks to mandatory fire management. On the right concession, the fire starts within and destroys orang-utan habitats. The fire was not investigated by RPSO. #SWIR #satellite 🛰️
Originally tweeted by Adina Renner (@adinarenner) on May 10, 2021.
[Photos: Craig Jones Photography]
The rainforests of Kalimantan and Papua rank 3rd largest in the world – we are very proud of this. This region’s rainforests are decreasing by millions of hectares per year for investment purposes…
Oil palm plants need pesticides. And the effect of pesticides kills fireflies Photuris lucicrescens
We have lost the light and the story of romantic night…
twitter.com/setiabudhi18/statu…
When “forest” is defined solely on the basis of tree cover – this puts rainforests, animals and indigenous peoples in jeopardy
We use the word “forest” to describe a wide variety of situations
This leads to excuses for the environment being destroyed. These practices give rise to a false sense of accomplishment when the forests that are reported to cover substantial parts of the tropical landscape hardly resemble “old growth”.
A winged seed sower of the rainforest: Megabat Acerodon jubatus, a giant flying fox. Originally tweeted by Dr.Setia Budhi @BerukHutan @Ethnographer (@setiabudhi18) on August 24, 2021.
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Hornbill species are present in every traditional Dayak ritual
They are a regional symbol in Balinese Dayak dances. Almost all places in Borneo, Malaysia and Brunei revere the hornbill as a special bird. Even the logo at my university where I teach is a hornbill!
As they fly around, these hornbills disperse seeds of the fruit they eat around 100 kilometres away.
There are many species of hornbill found only in Borneo
Originally tweeted by Dr.Setia Budhi @BerukHutan @Ethnographer (@setiabudhi18) on July 31, 2021.
They are a regional symbol in Balinese Dayak dances. Almost all places in Borneo, Malaysia and Brunei revere the hornbill as a special bird. Even the logo at my university where I teach is a hornbill!
As they fly around, these hornbills disperse seeds of the fruit they eat around 100 kilometres away.
Hornbills are underappreciated workers and unpaid farmers helping to expand the majestic forests of Kalimantan!
I’m deeply sad that these Hornbills are likely to go extinct from deforestation
Their breeding grounds in the forest are getting thinner by the day! Hunting for hornbills is still happening despite them being declared as protected species. We should all love hornbills as forest farmers who work voluntarily and unpaid.
The Sulawesi hornbill (Rhabdotorrhinus exarhatus) is a striking and large yellow and black bird endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia. Known for their unique vocalisations and social nature, including communal shared…
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I like seeing Proboscis monkeys because it’s a sign that the rainforest is still in a good condition
The proboscis monkey is in danger of extinction
I’m head of the proboscis monkey community on Sebuku, a small island in Southeast Kalimantan. The Proboscis Monkey Nasalis larvatus is endemic to coastal areas of rivers and mangroves. They have many names in different regions and are known as Bangkatan in Brunei.
Proboscis monkeys give birth only once per season and this gestation lasts about 166 days. Newborns have a blue face and sparse almost black fur. At the age of 3 to 4 months there is a change in colour which indicates their maturity to adulthood.
Their peat forest home is starting to narrow as the mangroves are being cut down, causing the proboscis monkey colonies to be pushed out.
The Proboscis Monkey, distinguished by their large, pendulous noses and pot-bellied appearance, is an arboreal primate endemic to the island of Borneo. Inhabiting mangrove forests, swamps, and riverine areas, they are exceptional swimmers,…
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Most woodpecker species live in forests or woodland habitats, but I’ve never seen them in palm oil plantations
Woodpeckers are part of the family Picidae, that also includes the piculets, wrynecks, and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide.
Originally tweeted by Dr.Setia Budhi @BerukHutan @Ethnographer (@setiabudhi18) on August 27, 2021.
It is the people who live in the tropics who will determine the fate of rainforests
~ Dr Setia Budhi
Photos: Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
Global campaigns may go a long way in slowing the rate of loss of natural tropical forests, but in the end it is the people living in the tropics who will determine the fate of these forests.
Photos: Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
Menjadi Petani (bahasa Dayak Ngaju “Malan”), hidup damai dan berkah. Tanam sendiri, penen sendiri dan yang penting tidak ada Korupsi.
Be a farmer (Dayak Ngaju “Malan”), live in peace and blessings. Plant yourself, harvest yourself and most importantly there is no corruption.
Originally tweeted by Dr.Setia Budhi @BerukHutan @Ethnographer (@setiabudhi18) on July 7, 2021.
In Indonesia, a forest functions simply as a mode of investment and production
Together we can gain insights from people working in economics, geography, sociology and political science. Tropical forest conservation should remain an interdisciplinary and multi-scale endeavour.
Indonesia is rich with natural foods such as sago and tubers. However the government’s food security program: indigenous food sources continue to be destroyed.Dr Setia Budhi
The full range of forest users must be considered in the policy-making process, which should be developed and implemented with the involvement of indigenous activists.
Cempedak Artocarpus integer is a rainforest fruit in Borneo
Originally tweeted by Dr.Setia Budhi @BerukHutan @Ethnographer (@setiabudhi18) on August 22, 2021.
The supermarket should provide natural foods for indigenous peoples
Sago, cinnamon, palm sugar, and root foods. Not preservative filled, unhealthy convenience foods.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs by palm oil companies are not just about distributing rice, sugar, coffee, cooking oil, instant noodles to indigenous people
Existing CSR programs were generally conceived to centralise the community around an oil palm area, not to empower the community with cultural knowledge.Dr Setia Budhi
Palm oil companies should instead study the knowledge and culture of local people, their local wisdom. Companies should not ignore social hierarchies. Instead they should invite indigenous peoples to sit together to build agency and autonomy in their own ways and for their own environmental and cultural priorities.
A great CSR program should empower the indigenous community to enrich their indigenous traditions
Here are some examples:
- Establishing forest areas to restore important cultural functions with endemic plants.
- Mobilising and educating indigenous youth to protect against the extinction of traditional medicine.
- The promotion of natural forest-based jobs.
- Programs that protect local people’s food so that they can obtain this from the forest and rivers, in a sustained, long-term manner.
In my observation, there are phases to conflicts between Indigenous people and palm oil companies…
Photo: Dayak Longhouse, PxFuel.
1. Location and plantation permits
The permit issued by the central government and local government often differs from the physical land area. Instead, the land on the permit overlaps with land managed by the indigenous community long before the plantation permit was issued.
[strong]Photo: Craig Jones Wildlife Photography.[/strong]
2. Plasma Plantation development
This cooperation is not balanced, so the community is often disadvantaged in this agreement. The land set aside for the community for plasma plantations is also included in the Business Use Rights (Hak Guna Usaha) document.
Plasma smallholders are farmers who took part in the Plasma Transmigration Program (Perkebunan Inti Rakyat, also known as PIR-Trans), set up by the Indonesian government in 1987. Under the scheme, villagers from rural parts of Indonesia were relocated to oil palm growing areas and given two hectares of land to farm, as well as another 0.5 ha for their housing and food crops.
The plasma farmers were partnered with a local company which provided employment while the land was prepared, and after four years the oil palms were ready for harvesting.
The plasma farmers agree to sell their produce to the company at a price set by the government.Asian Agri: Indonesia’s Plasma Farmer Scheme Explained (2018)
3. Plasma plantation promises
Oil palm companies are often not strategic in their development of plasma plantations. Commonly these are located far from farmers’ homes making them hard to access. The plasma plantation will have inappropriate and less fertile land with poor seedlings and a small number of plants set aside for plasma plantations.
As consumers, we can all do our part to help keep the forests standing
Take Action in Five Ways
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3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
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Pledge your support
You can find and follow me on Twitter if you wish @Setiabudhi18
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Photography, Art: Craig Jones, Jo Fredricks, Dr Setia Budhi, PxFuel.
Words: Dr Setia Budhi
Further reading
Budhi, Setia. (2020). Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Entrepreneurs. Komojoyo Press. ISBN: 978-602-6723-75-8
Budhi, Setia & Al Syahrin, M. (2020). Rethinking Dayak Identity. Publisher: Komojoyo Press. ISBN: 9786026723741
Budhi, Setia & Sosiologi, Studi. (2020). Farmer Education Program.
Budhi, Setia. (2020). Kinship and Customary Law The Ngaju Dayak of Indonesian Borneo : Memories of European Anthropology.
Budhi, Setia. (2018). Two Window and One Rivers The Possibility of Dayak Meratus People in Capitalist Society. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences. 12. 90-93. 10.22587/ajbas.2018.12.8.17.
Budhi, Setia. (2018). Rain, River and Religion A Study of Negotiating Identity of Bakumpai People in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences. 12. 26-30. 10.22587/ajbas.2018.12.9.4.
Budhi, Setia. (2015). Bugis Pagatan: Migration, Adaptation and Identity. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science. 20. 71-78. 10.9790/0837-20517178.
Gaveau, DLA, Locatelli, B, Salim, MA, yaen, H, Pacheco, P, Sheil, D. Rise and fall of forest loss and industrial plantations in Borneo (2000-2017). Conservation Letters. 2019; 12:e12622. doi.org/10.1111/conl.12622
Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on supermarket brands causing palm oil deforestation
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#biodiversity #Borneo #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottpalmoilTweet #conflict #conservation #CreativesForCoolCreatures #Dayak #deforestation #EastKalimantan #ecolabels #fire #IndigenousActivism #indigenousRights #investigativeJournalism #Kalimantan #land #landgrabbing #landrights #map #OpenData #OSINT #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #rainforestConservation #research #satellite #SouthKalimantan
Plasma smallholder farmers are able to harvest sustainable palm oil plantations under the & Asian Agri partnership scheme for villagers from rural parts of Indonesia
Digital Team (Asian Agri)
Wildlife Photographer Craig Jones: In His Words
Craig Jones: In His Own Words
Wildlife Photographer and Conservationist
Bio: Craig Jones
One of Britain’s finest wildlife photographers, Craig Jones is also one of the most humble and down-to-earth guys you will ever meet. His photography and stories capture the lives of endangered rainforest animals that we hold so dearly to our hearts: Sumatran orangutans, Sumatran tigers, Sumatran elephants, Siamangs and more. His work has featured in BBC News, BBC Wildlife Magazine and National Geographic magazine. He has also appeared for Nat Geo WILD discussing Sumatra as part of the “Paradise Islands & Photo Ark” Nat Geo series. He has spoken at the UK Green Party Conference about the disastrous effects of palm oil in South East Asia, that he seen with his own eyes.
In this story, Craig uses his own words to bear witness to the awesome love and intelligence of orangutans, and also shares stories of the immense suffering of orangutans and other species within RSPO member palm oil plantations. Craig is an absolute inspiration to photographers, animal lovers and conservationists. It is an honour to showcase his work and stories on Palm Oil Detectives.
His work appears in:
#Wildlife #photographer Craig Jones @CraigJones17 uses his heart and camera to capture the spectacular animals of Asia even in settings of absolute cruelty and #palmoil #deforestation. He tells his story! #Boycott4WildlifeTweet
“The most beautiful rainforest in the world is turned into a souless landscape of palm oil within weeks, with brutal efficiency. Anything in its way gets crushed, killed and discarded.” #Wildlife #photographer Craig Jones @CraigJones17 #Boycott4WildlifeTweet
“That scream I can still hear now, the tone went through me, the pitch could have broken a glass, it was so high and shocking to hear.“ @CraigJones17 recalls rescuing a mum and baby #orangutan from an @RSPOtweets #palmoil plantation
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#Wildlife #photographer Craig Jones @CraigJones17 uses his heart and camera to capture spectacular animals of Asia even in settings of absolute cruelty and #palmoil #deforestation he tells his story! #Boycott4Wildlife #Boycottpalmoil
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“Sustainable palm oil is a con. #Palmoil is all about #wealth and it’s killing us and the planet. So mother nature will have the last laugh. It’s all corruption. #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife” #Wildlife photographer @CraigJones17
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“I kept hearing from locals that the government fails to protect national parks and #endangered species. The same government hands out #palmoil licences letting these companies play god” #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @CraigJones17
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“Those with a vested interest in sustainable #palmoil are linked in some way. How can anyone say sustainable is OK when it is grow in the ashes of the dead wildlife and burnt forests?” #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife” #Wildlife photographer @CraigJones17
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Nature saved me really. That’s behind everything I do. I’ve seen bad things in life and nature has always been there…
When I see animals in stress or danger, I have learned that I can turn my passion into a positive and use my heart and camera to capture what I see. This is despite shocking scenes I have witnessed in my career, with the many examples of sheer and pointless human cruelty.Craig jones
Respect and care for wildlife was instilled in me by my late mother
[Pictured] Craig Jones as a boy in his aviary, in the garden of his mother’s home
youtu.be/nkoIpszpg4Y
“My love of wildlife started at a young age. My mum took me to the nearby woods where wildlife was as a small child. My mum taught me about the circle of life and where my food was from. She taught me to always to respect wildlife and listen to the woods, listen to nature and nature will give up her secrets.”
Craig Jones Wildlife Photography – Virgin and untouched rainforest in Sumatra
From those early days, I spent so much time being at one with nature, close to and watching, hidden from view on the off chance I would see a certain animal.
[Pictured] Puffins locked in an embrace. Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
I have learned how to get close to wildlife without disturbing animals and their world. In doing so, I can understand the animal better and give them complete respect. I have gained many skills by observing animals and their behaviour. This gives me a private window into their private lives.
The word conservation means many things to many different people
The courageous team from HOCRU led by Panut Hadisiswoy, rescue orangutans daily from RSPO palm oil plantations and illegally destroyed forests in Sumatra. Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
For me, conservation means to simply to care, love and protect wildlife. I use my camera as an extension of myself to capture what I see and express this in my photography, with minimal intervention and great respect for wildlife.
Combining conservation and photography can be very powerful. This can move people to such a degree that change can and does happen!craig jones
Early on in my career, I learned the power of an image. This moved me, and I was sure this would move viewers too. I try to help all animals with my images. I tell the stories behind the pictures, where and how they live.
The best camera is a person’s heart. This is then reflected through their eyes and the result is the photography
If you want to get into wildlife photography, be honest with yourself and nature when you are behind the camera. Don’t cut corners and always remember you are a guest in the animal’s world.
Watch and learn about wildlife and the species you wish to photograph. Don’t look for the perfect shot, because there isn’t such a thing really.
The perfect shot drives photographers to try and achieve this, often at the cost of the animals’ wellbeing and peace.
Become part of the environment, learn about fieldcraft, ethics and always respect nature. I have a saying, “what you give to nature, you get back” and this often is reflected in my work. Work with your heart on your sleeve and always be honest with nature and yourself with your work.
I love every single creature and species of the natural world. I find everything fascinating. Every individual animal is going about their own lives around us, often unnoticed and in clear view ~ Craig Jones
For my 8th Birthday I was given a book called “Animal World”. On the cover is tiger and to the side is an Orangutan. I’ve still got this book, which is signed inside by my late mum. As a child I was amazed by these animals. Without my knowing, this book started my life-long love and fascination for these two species.
Craig Jones Wildlife Photography – Animal World, the book that Craig Jones received from his mother which got him interested in wildlife conservation as a young boy.
Despite the shocking scenes I have witnessed, I am able to switch from the heart to my head and capture the true essence of the things I have seenCraig Jones
When I see animals in stress of danger, I am able to turn that passion into a positive and use my heart and camera to photograph what I see.
Craig Jones Wildlife Photography. Craig sits devastated after seeing the destruction of Sumatra’s rainforests
Craig Jones Wildlife Photography. A female orangutan at dawn in Sumatra
Craig Jones Wildlife Photography – A Sumatran Orangutan on the verge of death is saved from an RSPO “sustainable” palm oil plantation
This wasn’t planned, it wasn’t taught, it comes from that true and powerful love for wildlife I had from a small child
I witnessed so much in Sumatra, it has been an emotional roller coaster with so many ups and downs, looking into an orangutan’s eyes and seeing yourself has filled me with so much joy, and at the same time sorrow. I have loved these enduring animals since childhood and now as an adult helping them is a blessing for me.
I try and show not only the beauty of the natural world, but also the suffering. My hope with my own contribution to conservation is to give all wildlife a true and meaningful voice around the world.
Although I had to walk away from these animals, I want my photos to be a visual reminder that these beautiful creatures will never be forgotten. Their plight wasn’t ignored
Orangutans are us and we are them in so many ways. Their peaceful mannerisms and intelligence is just remarkable
I feel there is so much we still don’t know about these great apes. For as long as I walk this earth, I will do my best to help them. Along with every other creature we share this planet with, using my camera and my own voice.
Orangutans are us and we are them in so many ways…
I’ve climbed trees in the rainforest. I’ve slept rough and washed in rainwater to be close to these amazing animals. I’ve seen their beauty, their spirit and my work I hope gives them a voice, and in turn I truly hope their voices will be heard.
Craig Jones Wildlife Photography – A Sumatran Orangutan on the verge of death is saved from an RSPO “sustainable” palm oil plantation
Craig Jones Wildlife Photography – Sumatran Orangutan baby
Craig Jones Wildlife Photography – Sumatran Orangutan
Sumatran orangutan close up. Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
Craig Jones Wildlife Photography – Sumatran Orangutan mother and baby 
This baby orangutan was named Craig after we rescued him from the RSPO member palm oil plantation – Craig Jones Wildlife Photography 
Orangutan baby named Craig, rescued from an RSPO certified palm oil plantation in Sumatra. By Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
Female orangutan at dawn in the Sumatran jungle – Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
Without direct intervention in National Parks, orangutans along with all other forest-dependant species like the Sumatran Tigers and Sumatran Elephants will become progressively scarcer until their populations are no longer viable.Craig jones
I have seen things during my time in Sumatra that have upset and angered me
Craig Jones
[Pictured] A forest is destroyed in so-called “protected” parts of Indonesia, first for timber, then for palm oil by palm oil companies that are granted permits by the government despite clear ecocide.
The fringes of protected rainforest habitat are slowly being eroded away with small to large de-forestation and illegal logging and forest clearance. This goes unchecked, as parts of the protected rainforest is lost each year and is shrinking at an alarming rate. There is no enforcement of regulations.
Long term initiatives like reducing corruption, massive changes in management regimes, institutional change, monitoring illegal wildlife trade and prosecuting criminal behaviour will take a long time to halt the immediate crisis.
Logging companies use bribes and are better armed and equipped than most rangers who protect the animals…
At last count when I visited there were 2,155 field rangers for a 108,000km square area. They have no access to helicopters, airplanes, arms or military patrolling skills that would enable them to prevent illegal activity.
If the rangers had the necessary training, communication, transport and arms then they’d be better placed to protect and prevent these illegal acts against the protected forests. HOCRU which stands for Human-Orangutan Conflict Response Unit are a brave group of wildlife rangers who go out every day attempting to save animals on so-called “sustainable” palm oil plantations and “protected” forests that have been destroyed.
HOCRU – Brave wildlife rangers attempting to save animals on so-called “sustainable” palm oil plantations
The courageous team from HOCRU who rescue orangutans daily from RSPO palm oil plantations and illegally destroyed forests in Sumatra. Craig Jones Wildlife Photography The courageous team from HOCRU who rescue orangutans daily from RSPO palm oil plantations and illegally destroyed forests in Sumatra. Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
Reducing the rate of deforestation over Indonesia as a whole will also have a dramatic impact on the regional carbon dioxide emissions and thus help to prevent dangerous levels of global climate change.
If the logging of national parks continues unchallenged it could under-mine the protected area concept worldwide.
Palm oil companies play god and play with fire in Sumatra…
Rainforest is quickly changed to dead land throughout the world by palm oil.
“One of the main things I kept hearing from locals was that the government fails to protect national parks, areas that contain so many endangered flagship species of wildlife. The same government that hands out licensees to palm oil companies letting them play god with some of the richest forests on earth.”Craig jones
“Sustainable palm oil is a con. Palm oil is all about wealth and it’s killing us and the planet. So mother nature will have the last laugh. It’s all corruption. Those with a vested interest in this sustainable nonsense are linked in someway you mark my words because how could anyone say sustainable is OK when it’s grow in the ashes of the dead wildlife and burnt forests. This saddens me”. ~ Craig Jones
My recommendations on how you can help…
Craig Jones’ photography features on a billboard in London for the Spotlight on Sumatra exhibition. 
Craig Jones gives public talks to raises awareness of the plight of orangutans and other animals in Sumatra and he advocates for better, ethical wildlife photography that does not harm animals.
Consume less stuff overall and stop buying products containing palm oil, so this lowers demand
Move away from cheap food, cheap clothing and products that we really don’t need that have a hand in the destruction of the rainforests.
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Although the world is highly complex, every person can make a difference. That previous sentence almost sounds like a cliche right? Really it’s not. If every person on the planet made a few simple lifestyle changes, it would result in less demand on land and resources and soften the impact of deforestation on endangered species.…
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by Palm Oil Detectives
Look beyond so-called “sustainable” labels for palm oil and other commodities and you will see the lies, greenwashing and corruption inherent within them
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Companies can’t keep taking from nature and giving nothing back!
[Pictured] Palm Oil and Pollution by Jo Frederiks
Products that destroy the environment should come with a warning label on the side, like for cigarettes. Brands should pay a levy for rainforest destruction and give something back to offset their environmental impact.
The root problem is our bad food choices and what we put into our mouths
Once we’ve made ourselves sick with palm oil-ridden junk food, drug companies pick up where the junk food left off. People then become reliant on medical interventions to keep them alive. I try to cook and eat fresh. This way I remove the majority of palm oil out of my shopping basket. There are also many companies providing toiletries without palm oil, so just shop around for palm oil free products.
We should go back to eating “fresh” and avoiding junk food, as this will help the planet but also our own health
When I was young, I always and home-cooked food. Junk food was expensive and so my mum brought fresh and cooked fresh. Nowadays, junk food has become normal and not many can cook from fresh. This is a tragedy and we need to change this.
Photography: Craig Jones
Words: Craig Jones
More by Craig…
Eyewitness Stories
Bio: Craig Jones One of Britain’s finest wildlife photographers, Craig Jones is also one of the most humble and down-to-earth guys you will ever meet. His photography and stories capture the lives of endangered rainforest animals that we hold so dearly to our hearts: Sumatran orangutans, Sumatran tigers, Sumatran elephants, Siamangs and more. His work has featured in BBC News, BBC Wildlife Magazine and National Geographic magazine. He has also appeared for Nat Geo WILD discussing Sumatra as part of the “Paradise Islands & Photo Ark” Nat Geo series. He has spoken at the UK Green Party Conference about the…
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3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
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In this my third and last blog from my trip to Sumatra I will show you and go through a day I will never forget for as long as I walk this earth. These images have been held back until now due to national coverage over the last several days.
craig (Craig Jones Wildlife Photographer)