Five baby orangutans have been found in a forest in India, prompting authorities to investigate if they were trafficked into the country from south-east Asia. The orangutans, native only to the islands of Borneo and Sumatra and known for their shaggy red fur, were found in Balasore district of Odisha state, thousands of kilometres away from their natural […]
Tag: Tapanuli orangutan
Rescued from traffickers, reintroduced orangutan becomes mother in the wild
Seven years after being returned to the forests of northern Sumatra from a rehabilitation facility, a female orangutan rescued from traffickers has been found nurturing a baby in the wild, giving new encouragement that reintroduced apes can establish breeding populations. “From victim of illegal wildlife trafficking to a mother in the wild, Bulan’s journey demonstrates […]
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. […]
Relocation of Wild Orangutans Often Threatens Their Survival: Study
Authorities in Indonesia and Malaysia frequently relocate wild orangutans, which can leave them hungry, lost and in conflict with established residents. Many displaced orangutans make the journey back home, sometimes over 60 miles to the areas where they were raised. According to a new study, there are several reasons for orangutan relocation: If they are […]