Deadly Indonesia floods wiped out at least 7% of rare orangutan population, report says
Yahoo • • world
Key Points:
- Deadly floods and landslides in Sumatra last year have killed at least 58 critically endangered Tapanuli orangutans, wiping out about 7% of their total population of 800, according to a new report.
- The natural disasters, which also caused over 1,200 human deaths and damaged 300,000 homes, were exacerbated by rapid deforestation on Sumatra island.
- The study, conducted by Borneo Futures, World Weather Attribution, and Liverpool John Moores University, used satellite imagery and historical data but only surveyed the western block of the Batang Toru forest, suggesting the orangutan death toll could be higher.
- Researchers linked human-induced climate change to increased extreme rainfall and landslides, severely impacting the orangutans' habitat and survival chances.
- Experts called for urgent coordinated conservation efforts, better land management, and collaboration between the Indonesian government, NGOs, and researchers to prevent further declines in the orangutan population.