There are 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild at the moment. Slowly becoming one of the world’s most seriously endangered animals, the Sumatran tiger is at the forefront of various wildlife protection campaigns.

The Taronga Conservation Society is one of these very groups working hard to preserve the dying species. Over the past year, the society has been running the “Tiger Trek” immersive exhibit at Taronga Zoo, aimed at raising awareness about the tigers and the damages of unsustainable Palm Oil use.

So what’s the deal with Palm Oil? Well all evidence points to Palm Oil plantations for the loss of tiger habitat and food source in Sumatra. Many of these plantations are engaging in mass land clearing and deforestation – with no forest to return to, Sumatran tigers are in some pretty dire circumstances.

But what can we do to protect Sumatran Tigers? Should we avoid Palm Oil altogether? Tess spoke with Belinda Fairbrother, the Community Conservation Manager for the Taronga Conservation Society to find out more.