Canopy bridges are rope structures built high in the trees, often across human-made barriers such as roads. This helps arboreal species, such as orangutans and other primates, have safe passage through fragmented forests. This simple solution maintains forest connectivity and allows otherwise isolated groups to reach new habitat and find new food and mates. These bridges provide a lifeline for isolated species, ensuring better gene flow and overall population health and resilience.
Our canopy bridges in West Toba are particularly important for three isolated Sumatran orangutan populations, which are too small to be genetically viable in isolation. It is an urgent conservation priority to reconnect their forest home, and so this video marks a huge step forward for the project.
While we have already seen langurs, macaques, and gibbons successfully using the bridges to cross over the road, we knew that cautious orangutans would take a little longer to warm up to the idea. We are over the moon to see this footage, and we hope to see the orangutan using the bridge as a safe crossing route very soon.
We are so proud to have worked alongside TaHuKah and the PakPak Bharat Government on this project. So much hard work, dedication, and patience went into constructing these bridges – this success is a testament to the strength and determination of our frontline partners.
Your support directly protects wild orangutans and their rainforest homes. Please donate today to help us expand this critical work. Thank you to all of our wonderful donors, including Size of Wales, IUCN Asian Species Action Partnership, European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) and DierenPark Amersfoort Wildlife Fund.
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