Malaysia recently announced plans to gift orangutans to countries that buy its palm oil.
The strategy, called "orangutan diplomacy", aims to mitigate the environmental damage of palm oil production.
The raw material is found in more than half of packaged goods in supermarkets, from ice cream to lipstick, and plantations are a major driver of deforestation in Malaysia. But clearing land for palm oil plantations is also destroying orangutan habitats, reports Euronews.
Malaysia's proposal is the latest example of "animal diplomacy", in which live animals are used by governments in their international relations.
Here's how the system works, which countries have used it, and what animal welfare groups are saying about the practice.
What is "animal diplomacy"?
Animals have played a role in diplomacy for thousands of years, used by rulers and heads of state as gifts to promote international relations.
Cleopatra is said to have given Julius Caesar a giraffe, while the Caliph of Baghdad Harun al-Rashid gave Charlemagne an Asiatic elephant.
Since the beginning of the twentieth century, animal diplomacy has become a form of soft power used to build and strengthen relations between countries.
What is China's 'Panda Diplomacy'?
Perhaps the most famous example of animals in international relations is China's "panda diplomacy."
The practice began as early as 1941 – as a gesture of friendship, diplomatic tools and conservation efforts, the Asian nation gifted giant pandas to other nations.
Indonesia, Thailand, the US and the UK have received pandas from China.
Although they are called gifts, since the 80s the animals have been loaned for 10 years but remain the property of China.
Foreign zoos get the bears at a cost of about $1 million (€926) a year per pair. China is using the money to fund panda conservation practices, including building state-of-the-art facilities and creating protected areas. For the recipient country, it is the chance to have one of the rarest species on the planet in its zoos.
Other countries have also used animal diplomacy. Australia donated koalas, Indonesia - Komodo dragons, and Thailand - elephants.
Why is Malaysia giving away orangutans?
In the latest example of animal diplomacy, Malaysia plans to give orangutans to trading partners including the EU, India and China.
"We need to show countries around the world that Malaysia is a sustainable palm oil producer and is committed to forest protection and environmental sustainability," said Plantations and Raw Materials Minister Johari Abdul Ghani.
He added that this would prove to the world community that Malaysia was committed to biodiversity conservation. However, the minister did not explain exactly how the orangutan scheme would benefit conservation or sustainability efforts.
Malaysia is under increasing pressure from the EU, which last year imposed a ban on imports of goods linked to deforestation.
"The European Commission has long struggled to find a compromise between, on the one hand, the massive import of palm oil and, on the other hand, preventing palm oil from being a driving factor in the destruction of habitats and thus the climate crisis," explains Mr. r Signe Preushoft, head of the monkey protection department at the animal protection organization Four Paws.
Wildlife organizations criticize animal diplomacy
The Malaysian government's diplomatic strategy has been heavily criticized by animal rights groups.
"Protecting the forest, which is the orangutan's natural habitat, is the most important step to take. Funds that would be spent on orangutan diplomacy should be directed towards conservation efforts for these primates and their forest home," says Justice for Wildlife Malaysia.
Clearing land for palm oil plantations is one of the biggest factors in destroying orangutan habitat and reducing their numbers.
“It is obscene, repulsive and extremely hypocritical to destroy the rainforests where orangutans live, to take them away and give them away to mock other nations. This goes completely against the way we need to protect them and our planet," said Duke University's Stuart Pym.
Dr. Preushoft also questions the long-term effects of this system on the orangutan population.
"Captive breeding of orangutans in Europe takes place mainly in the zoos of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Their breeding success is poor and the current devastation shows no sign of abating. Where will captive orangutans be returned after their habitats disappear,” she asks.
Overall, Dr. Preushoft considers animal diplomacy to be an outdated and irresponsible practice.
“Using animals like orangutans as diplomatic gifts is a gesture straight out of absolutist times. "Giving animals in general, and critically endangered wild species in particular, as a bonus for buying the very commodity that causes their death is unacceptable and seems very out of touch with reality," she says.
"The transfer and keeping of wild animals in captivity requires careful consideration to ensure that it is truly necessary and is the best option to support conservation efforts and to ensure a life worth living." If all these conditions are met, animal diplomacy should only occur if it brings genuine diplomatic benefits between the parties involved. However, in many situations or cases, animals are simply not suitable for transport outside their natural habitats," says David Garrahi, World Animal Protection's External Affairs Manager.