Orangutan conservation efforts focus on three critically endangered species

Observed annually on August 19, World Orangutan Day highlights the plight of the three species of Southeast Asian great apes, all of which are classified as critically endangered by the IUCN.

The Bornean orangutan is found in Indonesian Kalimantan and the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, with an estimated population of approximately 104,700. The Sumatran orangutan resides in northern Sumatra, including the Leuser Ecosystem. A third species, the Tapanuli orangutan, was recognized in 2017 and is found in the Batang Toru forest of North Sumatra, with a population estimated at fewer than 800.

Conservation efforts face significant challenges, including habitat loss from logging, small-scale agriculture, and large-scale industrial projects like hydropower plants and gold mines. Recent environmental threats include landslides caused by cyclones, which have impacted Tapanuli populations. However, there have been successes in wildlife protection, such as the birth of an infant to a formerly trafficked Sumatran orangutan at the Jantho reservation in Aceh, demonstrating the potential for successful reintroduction programs.