In 2017, scientists discovered a new species of orangutan, the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis). This species is found only in parts of the 105,000 hectares of the Batang Toru ecosystem in the Tapanuli highlands of North Sumatra. It’s the rarest great ape in the world, with fewer than 800 individuals left. Researchers suspect that the Tapanuli orangutan population has rapidly declined in the past 100 to 150 years.
The species likely used to inhabit a much larger area, however, due to habitat loss and fragmentation, the population has dwindled to a small fraction of its former range. Researchers have stressed the urgency in creating and maintaining protected areas to safeguard their forests, in mitigating human-orangutan conflict, and developing conservation strategies which address the specific threats facing the Tapanuli orangutan.
Well… you don’t have to tell us twice! We have some very exciting news to share. TaHuKah, our frontline partner in Sumatra, has constructed two canopy bridges in the Batang Toru ecosystem, providing a lifeline for Tapanuli orangutans. The protection of Batang Toru and Tapanuli orangutans is a global conservation priority. And so we are thrilled to extend the canopy bridges project into this area!
Canopy bridges are rope structures suspended between tall trees on either side of the road, keeping the forests connected to orangutans and other tree-dwelling species. They can help to increase genetic diversity, reduce conflict with people, and promote the overall health of the ecosystem. Now, they stand as a beacon of hope for Tapanuli orangutans.
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