Massive landslides, intensified by climate change-fueled rainfall from Cyclone Senyar, have likely led to the deaths of 58 Tapanuli orangutans in Sumatra’s Batang Toru ecosystem over a four-day period.
The Tapanuli orangutan is the world’s rarest great ape, with fewer than 800 individuals remaining. The loss of 58 orangutans represents approximately 7% of the entire global population.
This significant mortality event places the species in an even more precarious position, accelerating its path toward extinction. The extreme weather conditions are directly linked to the ongoing impacts of climate change, highlighting the vulnerability of critically endangered species to environmental shifts.
Source: Down To Earth