Orangutan Day: Here’s where the three critically endangered species stand
World Orangutan Day marks the plight of Sumatran, Bornean and Tapanuli orangutans, all classified critically endangered by the IUCN, with the Tapanuli species numbering an estimated 716 individuals in the wild.
Recent developments include a newly confirmed Tapanuli population in North Sumatra, followed two months later by Cyclone Senyar, which triggered landslides that killed an estimated 58 of those apes. Habitat loss from small-scale agriculture, logging, a hydropower plant and a gold mine continues to encroach on remaining range.
On the brighter side, a formerly trafficked Sumatran orangutan named Bulan gave birth in the wild seven years after reintroduction, the 10th such birth at Indonesia's Jantho reservation. Still, a 2026 assessment found the Sumatran population fell 19.5% between 2011 and 2023, while Bornean habitats lost ground to palm oil expansion and fires.
The full dispatch is available from the source below.