I was originally going to start my Sumatra series in a diary form like many other blogs are written, but because it’s not coming live I thought this would be a better format. I’d like to share the amazing experience I had in the Sumatran rainforest, and some of the amazing animals that live in it. Photographing animals in this environment was one of the hardest challenges I’ve faced since I first started photographing wildlife. I’ll talk about the difficulties I faced in my following blogs – like the challenges of the terrain, weather, equipment, tracking the animals and much more.

A large Sumatran orangutan sitting in a tree scratching its head, in the Sumatran rainforrest. www.trevorpenfold.com

So today’s post is mainly a visual one and for the main reason I travelled to Sumatra – to photograph the really wild and critically endangered Sumatran orangutans. Not the ones around Bukit Lawang that are semi-wild and come down from the trees when humans are spotted, hoping to get some food. I wanted the experience of photographing the orangutans that live in the less visited areas of the rainforest, those who live and behave in a natural way.

I’ve pulled together a quick collection of some of the orangutans I photographed to whet your appetite for the coming posts.

Critically endangered Sumatran orangutan travelling through the rainforest with its young tightly holding on

Critically endangered Sumatran orangutan watches with interest from the safety of the trees in the Sumatran rainforest. www.trevorpenfold.com

Critically endangered Sumatran orangutan watches with interest from the safety of the trees in the Sumatran rainforest.

A Critically endangered Sumatran orangutan sits on a branch looking higher into the canopy of the Sumatran rainforest. www.trevorpenfold.com

A classic pose of a critically endangered Sumatran orangutan holding on with all for limbs, stretched between two trees. www.trevorpenfold.com

A critically endangered Sumatran orangutan hangs from a branch while watching the photographer. www.trevorpenfold.com

A young Sumatran orangutan walking across a branch to it mother high up in canopy of the rainforest. www.trevorpenfold.com

Critically endangered Sumatran orangutan relaxing in the trees with its young baby tightly holding on. www.trevorpenfold.com

Critically endangered Sumatran orangutan travelling through the rainforest with its young tightly holding on. www.trevorpenfold.com

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed a quick taste of what’s to come. If you want to learn more about photographing in the rain forest then don’t forget to sign up for updates using the contact form.

3 Comments
  1. Janet 9 years ago

    Fantastic- loved all the pix. Mothers & babes ‘specially. Cheers Janet (Cologne)

  2. Jenny Davis 9 years ago

    Amazing photographs. What an adventure and what a challenge, looks like you did really well at meeting it.
    Look forward to seeing more posts.
    Cheers
    Jenny

  3. Jenny Penfold 9 years ago

    great pics – well done TP

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