Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Becomes Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil Member

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is taking the next step in making a difference for orangutans and other endangered Asian animals affected by the palm oil crisis. The Zoo is now officially a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Membership is contingent on a review by the RSPO, a process that took about three months to complete.



The RSPO is a non-profit association of international stakeholders from across the palm oil industry, including producers, processors, retailers, and conservation groups. The goal is to develop and implement global standards for sustainable palm oil. To achieve RSPO certification, members must meet stringent environmental criteria and protect native wildlife in the process.

Millions of acres of rainforest in Borneo and Sumatra are cut down every year to make way for palm oil plantations – the last place on earth wild orangutans are found. Palm oil is found in everything from cookies to shampoo to pet food. However, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo doesn’t feel boycotting palm oil is the answer. Indonesia and Malaysia are countries that struggle with poverty, and palm oil is a huge part of the economy. Additionally, oil palms are the most productive type of all the edible oil plants, and less land needs to be cleared to get the same amount of product. Using certified sustainable palm oil is a more effective and responsible choice because it comes from a plantation that’s committed to producing palm oil in a way that minimizes impact on wildlife, indigenous people, and the planet.

You can print off a copy of our Palm Oil Shopping Guide so you know which companies belong to the RSPO. Find out more about the RSPO and what you can do to help at our online resource center.

The Insights of a Local Community Leader

In the process of planning our trip we had told Dr. Isabelle, a world renowned French primatologist and Director of Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project (KOCP), that we would like to speak with a community leader if possible. She arranged for us to meet with Suali bin Adai, the Muslim leader in Sukau.

We quickly learned why Suali bin Adai is considered a wise man. We asked him many questions about what he has experienced with the development of oil palm plantations in Malaysia over the years, and also the changes he has seen since KOCP and Red Ape Encounters were established. The biggest changes he has seen since palm oil plantations replaced some large forested areas are obviously loss of habitat, increase in high winds (which is not normal for these areas), and he said “it is much hotter than it was in the ‘old days.’” When asked if peoples’ attitudes about orangutans have changed since KOCP has been active for the last twelve years, he had this to say:

Years ago we saw orangutans sometimes but it was just an orangutan. We did not have an intention to kill them (note: Muslims do not hunt orangutans for food). After they came (Dr. Isabelle and Marc) we found out that it is important for them to be here. It is good that they are here.

Mr. Adai is a dignified man who was easy to talk to (with Mincho interpreting) and he has a great sense of humor. He has embraced eco-tourism, and when asked if he thought that more visitors should come to Sukau he said, “Yes! They should come!” Mr. Adai’s answers were very insightful and helpful in our understanding of the realities people face in Sukau.


While we do not have a picture with Mr. Adai, this is a picture with Mincho, our guide.