Tropical Eden Vanishing Putting Rarest Ape at Risk of Extinction

“If it proceeds, the dam will flood crucial parts of the ape’s habitat, while chopping up its remaining habitat with new roads and powerlines,” said Supriatna.

The team discovered the ape survives only in areas with virtually no roads, which promote illegal logging, clearing, and poaching.

“This is a critical test for China and Indonesia. They say they want sustainable development–but words are cheap,” said Laurance.

“Without urgent action, this could be ecological Armageddon for one of our closest living relatives.”

The Leuser Ecosystem in northern Sumatra, Indonesia is unique—the last place on Earth where Orangutans, Tigers, Elephants, and Rhinos still survive together. But human pressures such as illegal logging, poaching, and forest burning are intense, and have already destroyed most of Sumatra’s forests. Will the Leuser survive? See why we must save this tropical Eden!

Contacts and sources:
Distinguished Professor William Laurance
James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
E-mail: [email protected] (monitored continuously; Professor Laurance can speak via phone or Skype)

Citation:  Sean Sloan, Jatna Supriatna, Mason Campbell, Mohammed Alamgir, and William F. Laurance. 2018. Newly discovered orangutan species requires urgent habitat protection. Current Biology 28:R1-R3.

Short video on northern Sumatra (Greater Leuser Ecosystem, where the new ape species is found): https://www.global-roadmap.org/videos/leuser/