The Tapanuli orangutan, the world’s rarest great ape, faces ongoing threats with no coordinated recovery strategy nearly a year after a severe ecological shock. Mining has resumed, future development plans are active, and a strong El Niño introduces new risks.
Recent satellite imagery revealed fresh ground disturbances within the concession of Indonesia’s Martabe gold mine, which overlaps with the orangutan’s habitat in Batang Toru, North Sumatra. These disturbances, described as treeless and disturbed earth on steep hills, occurred between June 13 and June 23. Researchers estimate 716 Tapanuli orangutans remain, split into three fragmented subpopulations.
Mighty Earth, an environmental organization, characterized the disturbances as landslides linked to mine development. Agincourt Resources, the mine operator, disputes this, stating the June activity was material movement following planned blasting within its operational area.
Source: Mongabay