Silent Forests: Growing Fears for Tapanuli Orangutans After Sumatra's Devastating Floods

An Unsettling Silence: The Plight of the Tapanuli Orangutans

An eerie quiet has settled over the mountainous forests of north Sumatra, Indonesia, alarming wildlife experts and conservationists alike. For generations, these lush landscapes, particularly in Batang Toru, have been home to the world's most endangered great ape, theTapanuli orangutans, where their presence was once a familiar sight and sound. However, since Cyclone Senyar unleashed its fury on Sumatra on November 25th, these critically endangered primates have vanished from their usual habitats, fuelinggrowing fears that the world's rarest apes were swept away in Sumatran floods.

A Rare Species Under Threat

The disappearance of theTapanuli orangutanshas ignited intense speculation. While some hold onto the hope that the animals sought refuge in safer areas, the tragic discovery of an orangutan carcass has heightened conservationists' worst fears. With fewer than 800 individuals remaining globally, any loss represents a catastrophic blow to the survival of this unique species.

Heartbreaking Discoveries: A Glimmer of Hope Fades

Humanitarian aid workers recently shared with the BBC their harrowing find: a deceased orangutan, semi-buried amidst mud and logs in Pulo Pakkat village, central Tapanuli district. Deckey Chandra, a humanitarian team member with a background inTapanuli orangutanconservation, recounted the grim discovery.

Eyewitness Accounts of Devastation

"When I first saw it I was not sure what it was, because it was kind of defaced, perhaps because it was buried underneath by the sludge and logs," Chandra shared. "I have seen several dead bodies of humans in the past few days but this was the first dead wildlife... They used to come to this place to eat fruits. But now it seems to have become their graveyard."

Chandra provided photographic evidence of the carcass to the BBC, pictures that regional conservationists believe confirm the identity of aTapanuli orangutan. This species, only scientifically identified in 2017, stands distinct from its Bornean and Sumatran cousins, making its potential losses even more profound.

Satellite's Grim Outlook: Vast Habitat Destruction

Cyclone Senyar's rampage through Indonesia in late November has already claimed over 900 human lives, with hundreds still missing and countless Sumatran villages decimated. The environmental toll is equally staggering.

Professor Erik Meijaard, managing director of Borneo Futures, is meticulously analyzing satellite imagery to assess the cyclone's impact on the orangutan population. His preliminary observations reveal a staggering 4,800 hectares (11,860 acres) of forest destroyed by landslides on mountain slopes. Accounting for cloud cover, he extrapolates this devastation to a shocking 7,200 hectares.

The Sheer Force of Nature

"The destroyed areas would have contained some 35 orangutans, and considering the violence of the destruction it wouldn't surprise us if they are all dead. That's a major blow to the population," Professor Meijaard told the BBC. "These areas show as bare soil on satellite imagery where two weeks ago it was primary forest. Complete destruction. Many patches of several hectares completely denuded. It must have been hellish in the forest at the time."

Professor Meijaard also reviewed the image of the discovered orangutan carcass, noting the horrifying detail: "What struck me is that all the flesh had been ripped off the face... If a few hectares of forest comes down in massive landslides, even powerful orangutans are helpless and just get mangled." These observations underscore the critical vulnerability of theTapanuli orangutansto such extreme weather events.

Beyond Orangutans: A Crisis for Sumatra's Wildlife

Panut Hadisiswoyo, founder of the Orangutan Information Centre, echoes these concerns, stating that the carcass is a stark indicator that manyTapanuli orangutanslikely could not escape the rushing waters and earth-shattering landslides that engulfed their habitat. This widespread destruction isn't limited to orangutans; images of a critically endangered Sumatran elephant swept away by floods in Aceh recently went viral, highlighting the broader ecological crisis.

Sumatra is a biodiversity hotspot, home to other iconic endangered species like Sumatran tigers and rhinos. However, conservation workers are particularly worried about primates, including gibbons andTapanuli orangutans, due to the sheer scale of landslides across the mountainous Tapanuli district following Cyclone Senyar’s unprecedented rainfall.

No Escape for the Unwary

While some locals believe primates possess an innate ability to sense danger and escape impending disasters, experts like Serge Wich, Professor of Primate Biology at Liverpool John Moores University, offer a more somber perspective.

"During heavy rains orangutans either just sit in a tree or gather branches and leaves to use as an umbrella and then wait for the rain to stop," Professor Wich explained, drawing on his research intoTapanuli orangutans. "But this time, by the time the rain stopped it was too late: parts of their habitat — the slopes of valleys — were wiped out by landslides, which means there must have been consequences for them."

The Unseen Casualties: Damaged Conservation Efforts

The recent deluge has also severely impacted vital orangutan research centers across Sumatra. Ketambe, the world's pioneering orangutan research center in Aceh, is reported to be almost entirely destroyed.

Dr. Ian Singleton, scientific director for the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, emphasizes the urgency of rebuilding: "It needs to be rebuilt as soon as possible so it can continue to play that role in protecting the forests in that area and its orangutans." The loss of these facilities further jeopardizes ongoing efforts to study, monitor, and protect the last remainingTapanuli orangutansand their fragile ecosystem.