PADANG, Indonesia — Authorities in a stronghold for Sumatran tigers have warned the public against using snares to trap wild boar following the dramatic rescue of an 11-month old female tiger cub last month. While it is not illegal to set a snare for the purpose of trapping wild boar or animals that are not […]
Tag: Orangutan
Palm oil clearing advances in Bornean orangutan habitat despite red flags
JAKARTA — A palm oil company is ramping up its destruction of forests that are home to critically endangered orangutans in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve on the island of Borneo, according to satellite imagery and government sources. In October 2025, Mongabay reported that PT Equator Sumber Rezeki (ESR) had clear-cut 1,376 hectares (3,400 acres) of forest between […]
Indonesia floods were ‘extinction level’ disturbance for world’s rarest ape
The skull of a Tapanuli orangutan, caked in debris, stares out from a tomb of mud in North Sumatra, killed in catastrophic flooding that swept through Indonesia. The late November floods have been an “extinction-level disturbance” for the world’s rarest great ape, scientists have said, causing catastrophic damage to its habitat and survival prospects. Between […]
It’s the world’s rarest ape. Now a billion-dollar dig for gold threatens its future
Asmall brown line snakes its way through the rainforest in northern Sumatra, carving 300 metres through dense patches of meranti trees, oak and mahua. Picked up by satellites, the access road – though modest now – will soon extend 2km to connect with the Tor Ulu Ala pit, an expansion site of Indonesia’s Martabe mine. […]
The cruellest animal attractions in the world – from tiger selfies to civet coffee plantations
Cruelty to wild animals can take many forms and is often not obvious to the casual viewer. Many of the worst examples – elephant riding, civet coffee tours, for example – are commonly offered to tourists in the countries in which they take place and might appear to be traditional aspects of their cultures. What […]
‘Is it “woke” to care about the environment?’: how Trump’s cuts are dismantling global conservation work
When the guns finally fell silent in 1992, little was left alive in Gorongosa national park. During the 15 years of Mozambique’s civil war – in which more than a million people died – the country’s wildlife also paid a terrible price. Poaching for meat and ivory was so intense that the small surviving elephant […]
Vivy the Orangutan Returns to the Wild After Recovery
Vivy, a young Bornean orangutan, has been released back into the wild after months of recovery from severe injuries. This critically endangered species is at risk, and Vivy’s story highlights the challenges they face due to human activities. The 12-year-old orangutan was found in Borneo on April 20, severely malnourished and near death, according to […]
Birdwatch: a close encounter with a flying rhino in Borneo
I’d never seen a flying rhino before. Then again, I’d never visited the lowland rainforest of Borneo. This is the main stronghold of the rhinoceros hornbill, one of the largest and most imposing of its bizarre family. So when a huge black-and-white bird flew out of the forest canopy, I was suitably impressed. I was […]