Photo credit: Zac Mills, the Wildlife Collective
This is a guest blog from SOS Ambassador Zac Mills, The Wildlife Collective.
Each time I go back, I fall even more in love with orangutans. There’s something profoundly humbling—almost spiritual—about spending time with these incredible great apes in the wild. The more I learn about them, the more I’m struck by how much we share. It’s not just their familiar hands, their thoughtful expressions, or the quiet intelligence in their eyes—it’s the way they move through the forest with calm intention, the tenderness between a mother and her baby, the unspoken stories in their solitude, and the occasional flashes of drama. Being in their presence isn’t just a wildlife sighting—it’s an experience that stirs something deep inside you.
This most recent journey was full of unforgettable moments. We had the immense privilege of seeing a dominant male orangutan almost every other day. He hadn’t been spotted in four or five months before our arrival, so to cross paths with him again and again felt like the forest offering us a gift. We also encountered several orangutan mothers and babies, each at different stages of life—including one very tiny baby. Seeing a baby orangutan in the wild, knowing she’ll spend the next eight years learning from her mother, fills me with awe and hope. It’s a reminder of just how crucial long-term protection of these forests is—for mothers to teach, for babies to grow, and for generations of orangutans to thrive.
And it wasn’t just orangutans. The forest shared so many of its wonders—encounters with other primates, the deafening chorus of cicadas pulsing through the trees, and even the rare thrill of finding fresh sun bear claw marks climbing up a tree. Each day felt like peeling back another layer of the rainforest’s mystery, as if it was slowly letting us in.
Photo credit: Zac Mills, the Wildlife Collective
What made this trip even more special was the group of people I shared it with. We came from different countries, professions, and life stories, but were united by a shared purpose: to witness something extraordinary and be changed by it. That shared sense of wonder created a connection I’ll always carry with me. There’s a kind of unspoken magic that happens in the forest—it bonds you to the place, to the wildlife, and to one another.
On our final day, we joined Nature for Change to plant 50 indigenous fruit trees—a small but powerful way to give back to the land that had given us so much. After days of looking up into the canopy, grounding ourselves in the soil brought the journey full circle.
I also had the privilege of spending time with the incredible team behind TaHuKah, the Sumatran Orangutan Society’s frontline partners. Their dedication and impact are nothing short of inspiring. They are the quiet heroes working every day to protect orangutans and restore the rainforest they call home. Your support helps make their work possible.
After more than 12 years of photographing wild orangutans, I find myself more excited to return each time. In 2026, I’ll be spending a full month in Sumatra, fully immersed in the world of wild orangutans. I can’t wait to share the magic with you.
If seeing wild orangutans has ever been a dream of yours, I can say with absolute conviction: this is one of the most powerful and transformative wildlife experiences on Earth. Sumatra will change you in ways you don’t expect. It certainly changed me—and continues to, every single time.
Thank you—to everyone who supports this rainforest, its people, and the remarkable creatures who live there. Your contributions are helping keep this magic alive for generations to come.
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