Reconnecting the Rainforest in Sumatra - SOS

World First: A Sumatran Orangutan Crosses the Road!

This is it. The moment we have been patiently waiting for since we first began our canopy bridge project in West Toba over two years ago. For the first time, a critically endangered Sumatran orangutan has been filmed using a canopy bridge to cross over a public road.

This landmark moment, recorded on a camera trap in the Pakpak Bharat district of North Sumatra, is a world-first for the species. While other primates, including gibbons, langurs, and macaques, have previously been observed using the canopy bridges to cross the public road, this event confirms that critically endangered Sumatran orangutans can and will use canopy bridges to overcome forest fragmentation.

SOS and TaHuKah worked with government partners (North Sumatra Conservation Agency and North Sumatra Provincial Environment and Forestry Service). Thank you to the Pakpak Bharat District Government.

Watch the Historic Moment

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Right now, 750 orangutans in West Toba are still trapped on forest “islands,” cut off by roads just like this one. This footage proves that we have the solution.

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What are canopy bridges?

Canopy bridges are rope structures built high up in the rainforest canopy. They help tree-dwelling species, such as orangutans, have safe passage through fragmented forests.

Our canopy bridges have been built across a major road in North Sumatra, which cuts through primary orangutan forest. This simple solution maintains forest connectivity and allows otherwise isolated groups to reach new habitat and find new food and mates. This ensures better gene flow and overall population health and resilience.

Where in the world are the bridges?

The canopy bridges have been constructed in the Pakpak Bharat District, which borders the Aceh Province in North Sumatra.

This area is one of the highest forest-covered regions in North Sumatra, with more than 80% of its territory remaining forested.

These forests are home to the critically endangered Sumatran orangutan, alongside many other vulnerable flora and fauna, such as tigers, elephants, sun bears, and rhinos.

The rainforests of North Sumatra are also critical for the local communities living on the forest edges, and globally important as a vital part of the great natural processes that keep our planet’s systems turning.

Why did we construct the bridges here?

The Lagan-Pagindar road in Pakpak Bharat provides vital access to schools and other critical services for remote forest-edge communities. However, upgrades in 2023 widened the gap in the canopy, making natural crossings impossible for wildlife.

The road created a physical barrier for an estimated 350 Sumatran orangutans. These vulnerable individuals are divided by the Lagan-Pagindar road into two subpopulations; the Siranggas Wildlife Reserve and the Sikulaping Protection Forest.

Without the ability to cross over the Lagan-Pagindar road and reach new areas of forest, the Siranggas population is trapped in a genetic bottleneck. Over time, as inbreeding weakens the population, they will be deemed functionally extinct.

A model for sustainable coexistence

Forest fragmentation is one of the greatest challenges in contemporary conservation. This successful project has brought together conservationists, local authorities, and community leaders to create a model for sustainable coexistence.

Together, we’ve shown that infrastructure and biodiversity aren’t mutually exclusive. Each bridge requires 200 metres of rope and can be installed in just a few days—it is a scalable, effective solution to forest fragmentation.

Protecting a Keystone Species

Orangutans are a keystone species; they maintain the health of the entire ecosystem, which also supports tigers, sun bears, and clouded leopards.

By dispersing seeds across vast distances and allowing light to filter through to the forest floor when they build their nests in the canopy, orangutans promote forest regeneration.

Through this programme, SOS, TaHuKah, and government partners, are giving wild orangutans the chance to thrive long into the future, fulfilling their role as gardeners of the forest and keeping the entire ecosystem flourishing.

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.

The story of our canopy bridges

This historic milestone was the culmination of years of meticulous planning and physical endurance. From the initial surveys of canopy cover and wildlife density, to the physical feat of construction the bridges — this is the story from the beginning.

Help Us Scale This Solution

Conservation is a marathon, not a sprint. This makes the breakthrough moments — like seeing a young orangutan take those first confident steps towards a safe future — even more precious.

But we can’t stop here. Right now, 750 orangutans in West Toba are still trapped on forest “islands,” cut off by roads just like this one. This footage proves that we have the solution.

One orangutan has crossed, but more need a lifeline. Until midday on Wednesday, every pound you give via our Earth Raise campaign is matched — doubling the impact we can have. Now is the time to turn a story of hope into action.

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Resources & Media

Are you a member of the press or an advocate for wildlife? Access our full press pack, featuring high-resolution footage and images of the historic crossing.

For media enquiries, access to the press pack, or to arrange an interview with either SOS or TaHuKah, please contact:

Roisin Claridge, SOS Head of Communications
Email: roisin@orangutans-sos.org
Phone: 01235 530825