Climate change has emerged as a direct threat to the survival of the world’s rarest great ape, according to scientists.
Landslides, triggered by an unusually intense storm, are estimated to have killed 58 critically endangered Tapanuli orangutans (Pongo tapanuliensis) in Indonesia’s Batang Toru ecosystem. This devastating event highlights the urgent impact of climate change on biodiversity.
The estimate of orangutan deaths is detailed in a new study published in Current Biology. The findings underscore the vulnerability of these great apes to extreme weather events exacerbated by a changing climate. The Batang Toru ecosystem, home to this unique species, is facing significant environmental pressures.
Source: Mongabay