Sumatran Orangutans - on the edge of extinction
The Sumatran orangutan has been classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, the World Conservation Union. The latest data estimates that there are now only around 6,600 remaining in the wild. Orangutans were historically found in forests across Sumatra but are now restricted to just two provinces: North Sumatra and Aceh. There are less than 900,000 hectares of orangutan habitat left on the island. Experts suggest that they could be the first Great Ape species to become extinct in the wild. The greatest threats to their survival are habitat loss and the illegal pet trade.
Habitat Loss
The Leuser Ecosystem, a 2.6 million hectare expanse of forest spanning the provinces of 
Aceh and North Sumatra, is one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots. It was designated an UNESCO Tropical Rainforest Heritage Site in 2004, but has since been placed on a list of World Heritage in Danger due to the ongoing threats. The ecosystem incorporates the Gunung Leuser National Park, and is the last stronghold for the Sumatran orangutan.
Both legal and illegal logging activity has led to the degradation of forests across Sumatra. Although logged forests are not able to support high population densities
, orangutans can still survive in these disturbed habitats.
However, it is now common practise for expired logging concessions to be clear-cut and converted to plantations. The rapid expansion of oil palm plantations across Sumatra and Borneo has already involved the clear-felling of millions of hectares of forests, and all unprotected lowland forests are vulnerable.
Human-orangutan conflict is now frequent in agricultural areas, as orangutans are force
d out of degraded forest fragments in search of enough food for survival. This endangered and protected species, a flagship for the conservation of South-east Asian rainforests, are often considered to be agricultural pests and killed.
Agricultural development and the construction of new roads opens up the forest, creating access to previously undisturbed areas for hunters and poachers.
Illegal Trade
In theory, orangutans are protected by legislation dating from 1931, which prohibits the owning, killing, or capture of the species.
In practice, the illegal trade in orangutans in Indonesia continues to decimate remaining wild populations. Often a by-product of logging and clear cutting for plantations, a mother orangutan is almost always killed to capture her infant. It is estimated that for every orangutan orphan that is sold, six to eight orangutans die in the process of capture and transport.
In international law, orangutans are listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), prohibiting unlicensed trade. However, there is a huge local, national, and international demand for infant orangutans to be kept as pets. Click here to download a TRAFFIC Report: Trade in orangutans and gibbons in Sumatra.