Jack Dalton ‘28 loves orangutans. Originally from Lowell, Mass and now located in Manchester, NH, this eighth grader is an avid climate activist dedicated to protecting these orange apes. He is a public speaker, published author, successful youtuber, and much more. He has talked with the leading orangutan experts of the world and is the youth ambassador for the Orang Utan Republik Foundation, an organization focused on saving the orangutans of Southeast Asia.
Growing up around nature, Jack always had a love for the outdoors and the environment around him. He owned a dog, and his parents made an effort to get him outside the house. There was always a connection between him and nature, but the real turning point for Jack was the first time he saw an orangutan. He was eight years old at the Memphis Zoo when he encountered the orange creature, and was completely awestruck. He then learned of the harsh realities they face in the wild and knew he had to do something. The zookeeper in care of the apes taught the visitors about how the endangered species is devastated by deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia and displaced for the expansion of palm oil plantations. This zookeeper, Lexi Yang, set Jack off on his journey and continues to be his biggest inspiration today.
He immediately began his activism; researching the orangutan, creating a youtube account to educate others, and giving presentations to students—Jack’s favorite part of his work. His parents were extremely supportive throughout the process, and he inspired them in turn to be more environmentally conscious. Jack says that before his activism they were “not at all” interested in sustainability, but even still they have taught him values and skills that go hand in hand with his work in conservation. His mother, a teacher, has taught him how to keep an audience’s attention and be an interesting speaker, and has given him the opportunity to speak for her students. His father, who works as a nurse, has taught him compassion for living beings, which Jack channels into his work for orangutans.
One of Jack’s proudest accomplishments is Kawan the Orangutan: Lost in the Rainforest, his published children’s book. It was a joint effort with Lexi, the zookeeper, who made the illustrations. It follows the story of a young orangutan who loses his mother in the forest and his helped by all the animals around to find her. Jack has partnered with Orangutan Alliance, a non-profit organization set on saving these apes, so that for every purchase of his book, a tree is planted in the rainforests of Indonesia. Currently, he is working on selling reusable bags to send Indonesian students to university in the fields of forestry, biology, and veterinary science in collaboration with the Orangutan Caring Scholarship.
Since his journey began in 2019, Jack has garnered well over one million views on youtube, raised $20,000, planted more than 14,000 trees with the Orangutan Alliance, and has presented to more than 6,000 people. He met Jane Goodall, the world’s most famous and foremost expert on chimpanzees, and countless other people dedicated to protecting the earth, and he’s just getting started. Make sure you watch him on the Jennifer Hudson Show airing today!
