News from the Natural World: In a shocking world first a company has turned to an unlikely candidate to build a hydro dam, Orangutans.
“A dam is such a beautiful thing.” said the wise, old flanged orangutan to the cunning mouse deer. “They have no nasty smokestacks over-heating the planet. Also, they are invariably built in stunning mountain areas, with emerald lakes contrasting gorgeously against the rocky fringes. Dams are also excellent places to take your girlfriend for a picnic, balance your chakra, or go trout fishing. A world without dams would be a sad world indeed. “Indeed” agreed the mousedeer nodding his petite, but perfectly streamlined head.
It is so wonderful that there are companies like North Sumatra Hydro Beavers. This leading hydro energy company is notorious for pushing the boundaries of innovation. In addition, they are globally celebrated for their commitments to sustainability. But its recent bombshell announcement of the world’s first heritage hydro-dam took many by surprise. Not just for the depth of its commitment to sustainability but also the extent of its technological innovation.
In a world-first, a Sumatran dam project will consult with local orangutans on its construction. They have done this to fulfil its pledges on sustainability and employing ‘local wisdom’. The orangutans suggest building the dam out of locally sourced giant bamboo. The orangutans further advocate for making the dam watertight with forest clay. They treat the clay with sustainably harvested tree oils known for high waterproofing qualities. This is a traditional technique that orangutans have employed in dam building for over 3 million years of their existence.
Orangutans finally find employment
The rare Tapanuli orangutans are known to be excellent dam builders. They say that they are happy to do whatever it takes to “make this dam happen”. In contrast to other parts of the world, people and sacred wildlife in the Batang Toru area have long lived in peace and harmony. They have deep traditions of co-existence and mutually beneficial collaboration. “We love the new dam”, one orangutan commented. “Because it will look so stunning in the forest, modernize our area. Also, the dam makes it so much easier for visitors to reach us in the forest.”
North Sumatra Hydro Beavers made a startling prediction for the dam. They think that the new dam will be built faster, cheaper and more sustainably than any other dam. A company spokesperson stated that “while the Three Gorges Dam in China took 75 years to design and build. The Batang Toru dam will be fully completed in 6 months. Furthermore, it will supply all of Indonesia with clean energy for over 500 years. “Never again will there be black-outs” a Company spokesperson commented. “Poverty and hunger will be things of the past”, he continued.
Wanting a “piece of the action”, it has also come to light, that a group of local mousedeer has volunteered to perform all dangerous underwater construction work, thus dismissing the need for bothersome aquatic risk assessments. It is a little-known fact that mousedeer can hold their breath for hours making them highly suitable for carefully inserting bamboo twigs into small crevices with their dainty hooves and lining them with drops of tree oil which they apply with their sharply curved canines.