Orangutans disappear Indonesia and Malaysia

Problems

• Orangutans are in crisis. Asia’s only great ape species are declining rapidly due to habitat loss, illegal killing, and wildfires. Found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, all three species of orangutans (Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli) are classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 
  
  An estimated 148,500 orangutans vanished from Borneo’s forests between 1999 and 2015. By 2050, an additional 45,300 will be lost based on current rates of habitat destruction. Sumatran orangutans face similarly bleak prospects. Scientists predict that the total Sumatran orangutan population may decline by nearly one-third by 2030. The Tapanuli orangutan, only identified as a separate species in 2017, consists of less than 800 individuals and faces the most immediate risk of extinction of the three species

• Cause of Decline

  Forest destruction
  Destruction of Borneo and Sumatra’s rainforests is the biggest threat driving orangutans toward extinction. From 2016 through 2019, 797,054 ha of orangutan habitat was deforested in Indonesia and Malaysia, according to an analysis of Indonesian Government forest loss data by EIA and MapHubs. The vast majority (739,249 ha) occurred in Indonesia only, accounting for a fifth of all deforestation across the country during this time period. If this loss rate continues, orangutan forests could largely disappear, with them three of the Earth’s most iconic species.
  
  Illegal Killlings of Orangutans
  Often closely linked to habitat destruction, the illegal killing of orangutans is a key driver of orangutan population decline. Human-orangutan conflict, poaching for meat, and fear of wild orangutans are among the core motivations for orangutan killing, which, on average, claim the lives of an estimated 2,200 Bornean orangutans each year.
  
  This illegal killing, in turn, fuels the illegal capture and trade of live orangutans. Infant orangutans are sometimes kept as pets in Indonesia. They are also trafficked internationally to buyers in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe for the pet trade or to supply zoos and similar wildlife exhibition facilities. Orangutans stay with their mothers for the first eight years of their lives, so it can be assumed that at least one adult female orangutan was killed for every baby orangutan that enters into trade. Killing, capturing, possessing, and trading in orangutans is prohibited under Indonesian law. 
  
  Fire
  Fire-setting to clear land for agricultural production often results in out-of-control wildfires that burn in and around orangutan habitat. These wildfires directly cause orangutan deaths and drive orangutans out of the forest, where they are likely to come into conflict with humans as they seek refuge in agricultural lands or risk starvation if their access to food resources is cut off. The Indonesian and Malaysian Governments have prosecuted a handful of companies for their role in the spread of wildfires linked to their concessions but have struggled to enforce court-ordered penalties and appear to be reluctant to revoke the licenses that allow companies to continue operating their concessions.
  
  Looking Ahead
  This is no time for apathy; the current outlook for orangutans is dire. Indonesia and Malaysia have the expertise and capacity to protect critically endangered orangutans and reverse their population decline if they desire. Achieving this will require political will at the highest levels and ambitious goal-setting in order to leverage the Indonesian and Malaysian government’s considerable resources to take the steps necessary to save these irreplaceable species. We can rewrite the narrative by supporting conservation efforts, advocating for sustainable practices, and reducing our environmental footprint.