When visiting a national park in the remote jungles of Borneo, I got a close-up view of orangutans while they were rehabilitating in quarantine at NGO Friends of the National Parks Foundation (FNPF). One orangutan grabbed my hand and pulled me towards it, studying my hand and comparing it to his own. It’s hard to put into words how incredible that experience was. These beautiful animals are so inquisitive and trusting, yet it breaks my heart that they are so cruelly mistreated and exploited for human gain. On top of this, their forest homes are being burned to the ground or bulldozed for palm oil plantations. It has come to the point that this beautiful humanlike species is now critically endangered.

In 2005 Man of the Jungle was sold on the opening night of the Humane Society International Extinction Denied Art Exhibition. The exhibition is by invitation only, and artists donate 100% of the proceeds to HSI. Humane Society International has sponsored FNPF since 2000.