Man cycling 425 miles dressed as orangutan

A man from Derbyshire is cycling 425 miles dressed as an orangutan in aid of the species.

Peter McEvoy, from South Wingfield, started his ride in Sheaf Square, Sheffield, on Monday, and aims to finish the seven-day journey at the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Sunday.

McEvoy is cycling an average of 60 to 75 miles a day (97km to 121km) to raise £1,500 for the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS).

He said he wanted to raise awareness of the threats facing the critically endangered Sumatran orangutans and their rainforest habitat.

McEvoy, who grew up in Yorkshire, said the journey would be "quite a slog" as he was just a "normal person who likes to ride at the weekends".

Talking about why he was taking on this challenge, McEvoy said: "Orangutans, although they're such wonderful creatures, they are critically endangered and their situation is getting worse all the time, because they keep losing habitat.

"They're nomadic so every night they make a new nest in a new location, and so they need a lot of space to move around.

"The forest has been nibbled away at all the time, and so I found this charity that helps replant and protect the forest and sustain their habitat called SOS Sumatran Orangutan Society."

The father of two said he found the charity about a decade ago when he was researching organisations to donate to which protect rainforests.

"Through that route, I came across the SOS and I thought 'that's brilliant' because it's got everything - protecting the rainforest, making a habitat for all the other species, but also this iconic top species that everybody gets the warm feel about as well. So I thought, 'perfect'."

The 61-year-old added that the challenge was "not just for the orangutans".

"I worry about the forest - the lungs of the planet - and our children, grandchildren; they're going to have an awful place to live if we lose all those rainforests."

He said "everybody is interested wherever I go - wanting to know about the suit and QR code".

When asked if he was hot from cycling in the fluffy suit, he said: "It's not too bad".

"Out on my bike it is a loose enough weave for the wind to go through and help me to cool through sweat, but I do have to drink a lot of water to compensate."

He added that he was only wearing the mask when meeting people at check points, but not when riding.

"I wear my helmet and take my mask off for full visibility."

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