How did you begin your work photographing orangutans?
"Around five years ago, I started to follow the work of an NGO in Indonesia, the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP). As a conservation photographer, I felt I had to be involved in that cause, so I offered to document its work. After that, I went back almost every year and developed a very privileged contact with the organisation and was able to access some very remote places. Through this work, I was also able to photograph the Tapanuli orangutan when it was recognised as a separate orangutan species in 2017, and my pictures were shown around the world."
What, for you, is special about orangutans?
"They're special, first of all, because we are from the same family, and we share about 97% of our DNA with them. For me, it's quite shocking to know that one of the closest species to humans is on the brink of extinction. Spending time with orangutans in the wild, I felt a strong connection with them. Orangutan conservation is important because it is an 'umbrella' species, which means that protecting them also indirectly protects other animals in the same rainforest habitat. It also helps protect us because rainforests are very important for the Earth's climate."