Tapanuli orangutans decimated by 4 days of extreme rain

Why in News?

A study published in the journal Current Biology has revealed that a climate change-fueled tropical cyclone in November 2025 killed approximately 58 Tapanuli orangutans, representing nearly 7% of the global population of the species within just four days. The findings highlight the growing threat of extreme weather events to endangered wildlife.

Key Findings of the Study

• A rare tropical cyclone struck the Batang Toru forest region in November 2025.
• Extreme rainfall triggered catastrophic landslides and forest destruction.
• Around 58 orangutans were estimated to have died.
• The deaths occurred mainly in the western block of the Batang Toru forest, which supports the largest remaining population.

About Tapanuli Orangutan

• Scientific Name: Pongo tapanuliensis
• It is the world’s rarest great ape.
• Found exclusively in the Batang Toru Forest of northern Indonesia, on the island of Sumatra.
• Recognized as a distinct species in 2017, separate from:
  • Bornean orangutan
  • Sumatran orangutan
• It is the most recently identified species of great ape.
• Total population (2019 estimate): 767 individuals.

• Approximately 581 individuals lived in the western forest block.
• The loss of 58 individuals represents a significant decline for a species already facing extinction risk.
• Females give birth only once every 6–9 years, among the longest birth intervals of any mammal.
• Population recovery is therefore extremely slow.

• They are highly arboreal (tree-dwelling).
• Depend on continuous forest canopy for feeding, movement, and shelter.

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Tapanuli orangutan – Critically Endangered
• Protected under Indonesian conservation laws.

Source: Live Science