Jakarta, domclub Indonesia
—
A recent study revealed dozens
orangutan
Tapanuli was also a victim of the floods and landslides that occurred in Batang Tour, North Sumatra, some time ago.This also threatens the sustainability of its conservation in nature.
The report published on Monday (15/12) highlighted the disaster caused by the Senyar cyclone at the end of November 2025, when rain with extraordinary intensity poured down the Batang Toru area, North Sumatra.The cyclone caused major floods and landslides in one of the most important forest areas in Indonesia, which is the only habitat for the Tapanuli orangutan in the world.
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In just four days, recorded rainfall exceeded 1,000 mm, with local normal rainfall being 230-300 mm per month.This means that the water discharge from rain in four months was completely spilled in just four days.
Batang Toru is the only habitat of the Tapanuli orangutan, a species that was only identified in 2017 and is currently critically endangered.Before the disaster, the population was estimated at only 581 individuals, with an uncertain range of 180 to 1,201 individuals.
According to conservation science, in a population this small the reduction of just a few individuals can have a major impact on the survival of the species.
The author’s team used analysis of Sentinel-2 and PlanetScope satellite imagery to show that the disaster resulted in the loss of 4,000 hectares of intact forest, mainly due to large landslides and tree collapses.Around 2,500 hectares were also affected by additional landslides, although not all of them could be detected due to post-disaster cloud cover.
Researchers estimate that between 33-54 individual Tapanuli orangutans were directly affected by the disaster.
“Dozens of these orangutans most likely died due to landslides, falling trees or flooding,” the report wrote.
“This event is a severe population blow, considering that an annual mortality rate of just one percent is enough to drive this species to extinction,” the report added.
The research team is headed by Erik Meijaard, who has been focusing on orangutan issues in Southeast Asia for quite some time.In the team there are the names Jatna Supriatna, professor and expert on Indonesian primates, and David Gaveau, developer of the Atlas Nusantara map which focuses on Indonesia’s tropical forests.
The destruction of the Batang Toru forest not only impacts orangutans, but also local biodiversity and surrounding communities.
This forest is a water catchment area and a source of livelihood for residents by farming and cultivating non-timber forest products.Also a location for conservation-based ecotourism.
This report calls on the Indonesian government and the international community to act quickly to address this disaster situation and prepare adaptations for the next possible disaster.
“Immediate action and concrete support are needed to ensure the survival of the Tapanuli orangutan,” the report wrote.
It is hoped that the government will be able to protect the habitat of the Tapanuli orangutan more firmly.The government is also called on to more strictly implement regulations to stop changing the function of the Batang Toru landscape and provide facilities for local residents to live without destroying the forest.
(dsf/dmi)
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