According to Hollywood, thousands of years from now orangutans will rule the world. But right now, they need our help.
"They will be extinct in my lifetime," says Peter Fraser, Auckland Zoo Conservation fund programme coordinator.
Enter Bloodnut, a stoner metal band out to save their ginger cousins.
"We're not a piss-take band - we're a band with a theme," says Doug McFarlane, bassist/vocalist. "The theme is gingers, redheads, where we came from - Vikings, pretty much."
Orangutans check out the sweet Bloodnut riffs (Auckland Zoo)
The all-ginger three-piece from Auckland drop their debut album Blues from the Red Sons this weekend.
They've teamed up with Auckland Zoo to donate 10 percent of the proceeds towards saving the orangutan, whose natural habitat in Indonesia is being cleared to make way for palm oil plantations.
"It's kind of impossible to sell out in the music industry these days because musicians make so little money, but at the same time that's no excuse to not do anything good with what you make," says Doug Robertson, guitarist.
But you don't need to like tasty stoner riffs to help save the orangutan. You can write to the Government and tell them to back mandatory labelling of products that contain palm oil.
"We think all New Zealanders should have that choice so we actually can decide whether we want to choose whether we want to contribute to the destruction of these beautiful animals or not," says Mr Fraser.
Bloodnut with Auckland Zoo's Peter Fraser (Auckland Zoo)
Blues from the Red Sons is out this weekend.
You can find out more about Auckland Zoo's orangatan rescue efforts on its website.
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