Cyclone Senyars Devastation: Tapanuli Orangutans Face Uncertain Fate in Sumatras Batang Toru ForestsThe Batang Toru forests in North Sumatra, Indonesia, have fallen silent since Cyclone Senyar hit the region on November 25th, leaving conservationists deeply concerned about the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutans. With fewer than eight hundred individuals left, the discovery of a carcass believed to be an orangutan has intensified worries.Humanitarian workers found the dead animal partially buried in mud and logs in Pulo Pakkat village, with Deckey Chandra, an orangutan conservation expert, describing it as defaced and likely from being buried. The disaster has also severely damaged several orangutan research centers, including the worlds first, Ketambe, in Aceh, which is now almost completely destroyed.Professor Erik Meijaard, managing director of Borneo Futures, is using satellite images to study the impact, estimating that up to 7,200 hectares of forest on the mountain slopes were destroyed by landslides, likely containing around thirty-five orangutans. The urgent need to rebuild research centers and protect the remaining population is emphasized.

The Daily News Now! — Every city. Every story. AI-powered.

---

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.