#tapanuli-orangutan-pongo-tapanuliensis — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #tapanuli-orangutan-pongo-tapanuliensis, aggregated by home.social.
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Research: AI Helps Unlock the Curious Secrets of Orangutan Chatter
A groundbreaking and exciting study has started to decode the complex communication of Bornean orangutans, revealing the intricacies of their vocalisations and offering new insights into their rich and mysterious world. All three species of orangutan are critically endangered, primarily due to palm oil deforestation. To help these remarkable great apes, you should always #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop. Don’t believe the industry sponsored lie of “sustainable” palm oil. Learn more about how you can take action.
Discover the fascinating world of #orangutan 🧡🦧vocalisations!! 🎶 and how #AI 🤖is helping to decode their secrets! Protect these incredible great #apes from #extinction. Every time you shop 🛍️ #Boycottpalmoil 🪔🚫#Boycott4Wildlife 🌿 @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8wp
Share to BlueSky Share to Twitter#Research: #AI is being used to understand #orangutan 🦧🧡 #communication 🔊 All 3 species of the beloved orange #ape are critically #endangered by #palmoil #deforestation. Don’t believe the LIE of “sustainable” palm oil! #Boycottpalmoil @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-8wp
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterErb, W. M., Utami-Atmoko, S. S., & Vogel, E. R. (2024). The complexities of Bornean orangutan vocalisations: A new understanding of their communication. PeerJ Life & Environment. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17320
Orangutans, the intelligent philosophers of the jungle, have long intrigued scientists with their mysterious calls. Now, a new study in PeerJ Life & Environment is unveiling the secrets of their vocalisations. Dr Wendy Erb from the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at Cornell University led the research to explore the complexities of orangutan long calls, crucial for their communication in the dense rainforests of Indonesia.
Over three years, Dr Erb and her team gathered hundreds of long call recordings from 13 individual orangutans, revealing an astonishing array of vocal diversity. These long calls, which begin with soft, bubbly sounds that escalate into high-amplitude pulses, showcase a complex and variable vocal structure. The study combined traditional audio-visual analysis with machine learning techniques to identify distinct pulse types within these calls.
“Our research aimed to unravel the complexities of orangutan long calls, which play a crucial role in their communication across vast distances in the dense rainforests of Indonesia. Over the course of three years, we accumulated hundreds of long call recordings, revealing a fascinating array of vocal diversity.”
~ Dr Wendy Erb from the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at Cornell University in the US, as quoted in Cosmos magazine.
Despite previous efforts to catalogue orangutan calls, Dr Erb’s team faced challenges in categorising all the pulses they encountered. Their innovative approach identified three distinct pulse types, differentiated by both humans and machines. This research marks a significant advancement in understanding orangutan communication, though it also suggests there may be an even greater repertoire of vocalisations yet to be discovered.
“While our study represents a significant step forward in understanding orangutan communication, there is still much to uncover. Orangutans may possess a far greater repertoire of sound types than we have described, highlighting the complexity of their vocal system.”
~ Dr Wendy Erb from the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at Cornell University in the US, as quoted in Cosmos magazine.
This study not only enhances our understanding of orangutan communication but also highlights the intricate and diverse vocal systems present in the animal kingdom. As we continue to uncover the mysteries of these endangered great apes, it becomes increasingly clear how vital it is to protect their habitats and ensure their survival.
Erb, W. M., Utami-Atmoko, S. S., & Vogel, E. R. (2024). The complexities of Bornean orangutan vocalisations: A new understanding of their communication. PeerJ Life & Environment. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17320
ENDS
Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGNancy Ma’s Night Monkey Aotus nancymaae
Maned Wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus
Tufted Ground Squirrel Rheithrosciurus macrotis
Visayan Broadbill Sarcophanops samarensis
Nicobar Long-Tailed Macaque Macaca fascicularis umbrosa
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read moreTake Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#AI #animalCommunication #Ape #apes #BorneanOrangutanPongoPygmaeus #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #communication #deforestation #endangered #extinction #newTechnology #orangutan #palmoil #research #SumatranOrangutanPongoAbelii #TapanuliOrangutanPongoTapanuliensis
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Apes Enjoy Joking and Teasing Each Other
New research finds that it’s not only human babies who love to playfully tease each other. Researchers reasoned that since language is not required for this behaviour, similar kinds of playful teasing might be present in non-human animals such as chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans. Now cognitive biologists and primatologists have documented playful teasing in four species of great apes. Like joking behaviour in humans, ape teasing is provocative, persistent, and includes elements of surprise and play. Because all four great ape species used playful teasing, it is likely that the prerequisites for humour evolved in the human lineage at least 13 million years ago.
#News: Great #apes tease and prank each other 🤡😛🦍🦧🐵🐒 just as humans do. Including body-slamming, hair-pulling and waving objects in front of each other’s faces – new #research study finds #sentience #primatology #primates #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife https://wp.me/pcFhgU-7gR
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterMedia release from Science Alert, February 13, 2024. Research: Laumer I.B., Winkler S, Rossano F, Cartmill EA. Spontaneous playful teasing in four great ape species. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 2024 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2345
Joking is an important part of human interaction that draws on social intelligence, an ability to anticipate future actions, and an ability to recognize and appreciate the violation of others’ expectations. Teasing has much in common with joking, and playful teasing may be seen as a cognitive precursor to joking. The first forms of playful teasing in humans emerge even before babies say their first words, as early as eight months of age. The earliest forms of teasing are repetitive provocations often involving surprise. Infants tease their parents by playfully offering and withdrawing objects, violating social rules (so-called provocative non-compliance), and disrupting others’ activities.
In a study, scientists from the University of California Los Angeles, the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, and the University of California San Diego (Isabelle Laumer, Sasha Winkler, Federico Rossano, and Erica Cartmill, respectively) report evidence of playful teasing in the four great ape species: orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas. “Great apes are excellent candidates for playful teasing, as they are closely related to us, engage in social play, show laughter and display relatively sophisticated understandings of others’ expectations,” says Isabelle Laumer, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of California Los Angeles and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.
The team analyzed spontaneous social interactions that appeared to be playful, mildly harassing, or provocative. During these interactions, the researchers observed the teaser’s actions, bodily movements, facial expressions, and how the targets of the teasing responded in turn. They also assessed the teaser’s intentionality by looking for evidence that the behavior was directed at a specific target, that it persisted or intensified, and that teasers waited for a response from the target.
Teasing to provoke a response
The researchers found that orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas all engaged in intentionally provocative behavior, frequently accompanied by characteristics of play. They identified 18 distinct teasing behaviors. Many of these behaviors appeared to be used to provoke a response, or at least to attract the target’s attention. “It was common for teasers to repeatedly wave or swing a body part or object in the middle of the target’s field of vision, hit or poke them, stare closely at their face, disrupt their movements, pull on their hair or perform other behaviors that were extremely difficult for the target to ignore,” explains UCLA and IU professor Erica Cartmill, senior author of the study.
https://youtu.be/7NyiBuEfdGI?si=PBS_Fy4CEVOW3lzI
Although playful teasing took many forms, the authors note that it differed from play in several ways. “Playful teasing in great apes is one-sided, very much coming from the teaser often throughout the entire interaction and rarely reciprocated,” explains Cartmill. “The animals also rarely use play signals like the primate ‘playface’, which is similar to what we would call a smile, or ‘hold’ gestures that signal their intent to play.”
Similarity with human behaviour
Playful teasing mainly occurred when apes were relaxed, and shared similarities with behaviours in humans. “Similar to teasing in children, ape playful teasing involves one-sided provocation, response waiting in which the teaser looks towards the target’s face directly after a teasing action, repetition, and elements of surprise,” Laumer explains.
The researchers noted that Jane Goodall and other field primatologists had mentioned similar behaviours happening in chimpanzees many years ago, but this new study was the first to systematically study playful teasing. “From an evolutionary perspective, the presence of playful teasing in all four great apes and its similarities to playful teasing and joking in human infants suggests that playful teasing and its cognitive prerequisites may have been present in our last common ancestor, at least 13 million years ago,” explains Laumer. “We hope that our study will inspire other researchers to study playful teasing in more species in order to better understand the evolution of this multi-faceted behaviour. We also hope that this study raises awareness of the similarities we share with our closest relatives and the importance of protecting these endangered animals.”
Media release from Science Alert, February 13, 2024. Research: Laumer I.B., Winkler S, Rossano F, Cartmill EA. Spontaneous playful teasing in four great ape species. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 2024 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2345
ENDS
Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGTanimbar Eclectus Parrot Eclectus riedeli
Malayan Flying Fox Pteropus vampyrus
Mountain Cuscus Phalanger carmelitae
Brazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read moreTake Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 1,395 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalCommunication #apes #BonoboPanPaniscus #BorneanOrangutanPongoPygmaeus #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #ChimpanzeePanTroglodytes #cognition #deforestation #EasternGorillaGorillaBeringei #greatApes #News #primates #primatology #research #sentience #SumatranOrangutanPongoAbelii #TapanuliOrangutanPongoTapanuliensis #WesternGorillaGorillaGorilla
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Primates are facing an impending extinction crisis – but we know very little about what will actually protect them
From lemurs to orangutans, tarsiers to gorillas, primates are captivating and sometimes unnervingly similar to us. So it’s not surprising that this group of more than 500 species receives a great deal of research and conservation attention.
60% of primates 🦍🦧🐒🐵 are threatened by #extinction 🙊🙈😿 Without direct action, the number of endangered #primates will grow and more species will disappear forever. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife and be #vegan! @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/06/05/primates-are-facing-an-impending-extinction-crisis-but-we-know-very-little-about-what-will-actually-protect-them/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterBut despite this effort, more than 60% of primate species are threatened with extinction mainly due to human activities, such as palm oil habitat loss, hunting, illegal trade, climate change and disease.
This extinction crisis makes effective conservation actions vital. There are many different possible conservation actions for primates, like anti-poaching patrols, relocating animals, publicising conservation issues and reintroducing primates into their habitats. But our new study shows that very little is known about what actually works to protect primates.
I’m part of a team of expert primatologists and conservationists from 21 countries who examined the evidence for 162 primate conservation actions to see if they actually work. We found there wasn’t any research published testing the effectiveness of more than half of the actions. This lack of evidence means it’s impossible to know whether these actions work or not.
Peruvian Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey Lagothrix flavicaudaEven when studies on the effectiveness of a conservation action have been published, we found it was still difficult to draw valid conclusions about whether the action worked, due to problems with the design of the studies. This was even true for some actions that have been studied 20 to 30 times.
These huge gaps in knowledge are worrying, because without adequate information, researchers can’t learn from experience and can’t prioritise efforts and funding to best protect our primate relatives. Indeed, without access to evidence, conservationists might apply actions that are ineffective or even damaging to the animals they seek to protect.
Missing species
Crested Capuchin Sapajus robustusThe studies we reviewed only cover about 14% of the more than 500 primate species and just 12% of threatened primate species. And they mainly focus on the great apes and some of the larger monkey species.
Worryingly, some whole families are completely left out of the studies we reviewed. There are, for example, no studies of the tarsiers of south-east Asia in our database, or of the night monkeys of Central and South America. This is a problem, because we can’t assume that an action that works for one primate species will work for another species, due to each species’ unique behaviour and ecology.
We also found that South America and Asia are underrepresented in current conservation research on primates. This is particularly worrying because both are home to a high number of threatened primate species.
Why is this happening?
Faced with limited budgets and time, competing priorities and the urgency of many conservation scenarios, it’s easy to understand why conservationists might not focus on evaluating their actions.
The question, “Does this conservation action improve the long-term future of a population?” may seem simple, but it’s particularly difficult to answer for many primates. This is because many primate species live in dense tropical forest, with poor visibility and difficult access, making it extremely tough to count them. If researchers can’t get a good idea of how many primates there are, they can’t find out if the numbers are decreasing, stable, or increasing. And without seeing the animals themselves, we can’t assess their wellbeing.
Without action, the number of endangered primates will grow and more species will disappear forever. Pexels/Nitin SharmaConservationists also need to monitor primates for a long time to measure the effect of any action taken, because they live a long time and reproduce very slowly. In a short study, for example, it might be easy to confuse the long life of the last few individuals with a persistent population. It’s also important to be confident that any effects seen are related to the specific conservation action taken, rather than coincidence.
Beyond these challenges, publishing a study is difficult. Worse, the pressure to publish in prestigious journals favours publication of success stories, rather than actions that didn’t work, meaning that published studies may give a biased picture of the real situation.
Improving the evidence
Now that the scale of the problem is known, the gaps need to be identified to ensure research focuses on threatened species and understudied regions, and that actions with insufficient evidence are evaluated.
Funding organisations should dedicate resources to evaluating conservation actions. Meanwhile, experts like the Primate Specialist Group can contribute by developing guidelines on how to test actions rigorously.
Academic scientists can also collaborate with conservationists to design appropriate studies. Evidence databases like the one we assessed provide easily-understood summaries of actions and their effectiveness, as well as a place to report findings – and partially address the problem of publication.
Conservationists also need to be cautious as it’s clear that in many instances it’s not yet known if an action is effective or not. This is important because primates and their habitats face ominous threats and urgent effective conservation measures are needed to protect them. But by adopting an evidence-based approach to the conservation of primates, we can ensure they continue to enchant us in the future.
Jo Setchell, Professor of Anthropology, Durham University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
#AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalExtinction #animals #Ape #apes #BonoboPanPaniscus #BorneanOrangutanPongoPygmaeus #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #ChimpanzeePanTroglodytes #deforestation #EasternGorillaGorillaBeringei #ecology #extinction #ForgottenAnimals #monkey #Primate #primates #Primatologist #primatology #SumatranOrangutanPongoAbelii #TapanuliOrangutanPongoTapanuliensis #vegan #WesternGorillaGorillaGorilla
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Do chimpanzees and orangutans really have midlife crises?
Many people know that chimpanzees and orangutans have personalities, feel emotions and are “almost human”. However a recent paper has found that great apes also have a mid-life slump or a “midlife crisis”. Great apes (chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans) are just as socially, politically and cognitively complex as we are. Our “hairy” great ape relatives are like us in every respect. Help them to survive when you shop and be #Vegan #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
#Chimpanzees 🦍 #orangutans 🦧 and other #GreatApes have strong personalities and astonishingly may have midlife crises! Yet another reason to protect these wonderful beings. #Primatology #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🪔🤢☠️🔥🧐🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2022/03/13/do-chimpanzees-and-orangutans-really-have-midlife-crises/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterGreat apes feel and demonstrate fear, affection, laughter and compassion. They are also capable of gang-like killing and “warfare” between neighbouring communities, rape, “battering” females, infanticide and cannibalism.
Genome sequence projects have established the close genetic relationship between “naked” and “hairy” great apes. Cognitive studies show that chimpanzees are capable of deception and have the ability to remember past events and imagine or plan for future events (mental time travel).
But popular culture suggests that there is at least one developmental or lifestyle phenomenon unique to humans; namely, the “midlife crisis”.
What is a midlife crisis?
In affluent societies, there is a popular belief that as soon as men reach their mid-forties, they suddenly take up high-risk activities or buy a showy red sports car or powerful motorbike.
This time of apparent stress, confusion, dissatisfaction with life and display of “crazy” behaviour is popularly known as the “midlife crisis”.
By middle age, wild apes are often exhausted or maimed (or dead)In reality, around the world, irrespective of culture or wealth, both men and women seem to experience a midlife “slump” in happiness or well-being. This may be reflected in poor mental or physical health.
Typically, studies of this phenomenon are conducted by economists or psychologists, but the approaches they take and questions they address may be different. Economic research may compare happiness of younger, middle aged and older adults, who fall into similar socio-economic categories (such as income, marital status, health). This provides a “snapshot” in time. Their findings tend to support the existence of a “U-curve” when age is plotted against happiness, with younger and older people feeling more positive or happy.
Psychologists, on the other hand, prefer longitudinal studies of people over their lifetime to look for changes in “subjective wellbeing”.
How do you measure an ape’s happiness?
Measuring happiness or wellbeing is typically done by asking participants to fill out a questionnaire or self-report inventory, which rates their feelings or experiences.
Over the last two decades, researchers have been adapting the human questionnaires and rating scales for use with our closest “hairy” relatives: chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans. They want to see whether personality and subjective wellbeing can be reliably measured in other species.
Not surprisingly, “hairy” apes also show individual differences in personality and subjective wellbeing or happiness. These can be reliably measured if a person who has known the “hairy” ape for a long time (generally more than two years) and very well (say, if they’re a zoo keeper or caregiver) rates the individual.
Why are we surprised that our ape relatives have midlife “issues”?
To ensure coverage in the popular press, good science communicators pick catchy titles. These authors did exactly this by including the words “midlife crisis”, “great apes” and “human well-being”. However, “midlife crisis” is an emotive phrase that may not accurately reflect the findings.
The research team included renowned psychologists/primatologists/geneticists and an economist. Following the data analysis used by economists for this type of research, the “U-curve” with its slump in well-being was evident for the 500+ chimpanzees and orangutans included in the analysis. The “hairy” apes were all housed in captive institutions (zoos, research centres and a sanctuary) in Japan, the United States, Canada, Singapore and Australia. The chimpanzees and orangutans ranged in age from less than 1 year old to 56 years old.
Humans tend to show a slump in well-being at about 45-50 years of age. For chimpanzees it was at 27-28 years of age and for orangutans about 35 years of age. Since this slump exists in chimpanzees and orangutans and isn’t unique to humans, the authors suggest evolutionary or biological explanations must be considered. The slump does not appear to be due to socio-economic or lifestyle factors.
Sadly, the authors missed the opportunity to mention that chimpanzees and orangutans are endangered in the wild and may not reach middle age, yet alone old age. In captivity, they may indeed live beyond the age of 50 with veterinarians and caregivers to attend to their needs and no threats from their only predators – humans.
A moment of thought (Gorilla mother and daughter) by Dalida InnesHowever, these findings suggest that zoos and other captive institutions must be proactive in seeking ways to improve welfare for great apes showing a slump in well-being. They need to be vigilant as individuals approach their 30s. These practical welfare implications were also not mentioned by the authors.
In the wild, by middle age many chimpanzees and orangutans have witnessed the destruction of their forests and death of family members to poachers for food or illegal animal trade. Every day is a struggle for survival, and by middle age wild great apes may be physically exhausted or maimed. They do not have the benefit of relaxing and reflecting on their happiness. They certainly do not have the option of buying a sports car or seeking their lost youth.
Carla Litchfield, Lecturer, School of Psychology, Social Work and Social Policy, University of South Australia
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 1,395 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#animalBehaviour #animalCommunication #animalIntelligence #animalRights #Ape #apes #bonobo #Bonobos #BorneanOrangutanPongoPygmaeus #Boycott4wildlife #Boycott4WildlifeTweet #BoycottPalmOil #ChimpanzeePanTroglodytes #Chimpanzees #conservation #EasternGorillaGorillaBeringei #gorilla #Gorillas #greatApes #GreatApes #MountainGorilla #orangutan #orangutans #Primate #primates #primatology #psychology #research #SumatranOrangutanPongoAbelii #TapanuliOrangutanPongoTapanuliensis #vegan #WesternGorillaGorillaGorilla
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Tapanuli Orangutan Pongo tapanuliensis
Tapanuli Orangutan Pongo tapanuliensis
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Locations: Found only in the Batang Toru Ecosystem in North Sumatra, Indonesia.
The Tapanuli #Orangutan Pongo tapanuliensis is the most endangered #greatape species on Earth, with fewer than 800 individuals surviving in the wild. Listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, they are confined to a tiny mountainous area of primary rainforest in the Batang Toru Ecosystem #Indonesia. Their survival is threatened by relentless industrial expansion—#hydroelectric dams, gold mines, geothermal projects—and vast deforestation for palm oil and rubber plantations. As a keystone species, their survival is vital to the entire ecosystem. We must act urgently to protect them. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Just 800 Tapanuli Orangutans remain alive due to #palmoil and #mining #deforestation. If you find their imminent #extinction a disgrace 😡‼️ – there’s something you can do! #BoycottPalmOil 🌴☠️🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/19/tapanuli-orangutan-pongo-tapanuliensis/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterThe rarest species of #orangutan, the #Tapanuli is on the verge of being lost due to #palmoil and #mining #deforestation destroying 80% of their range. Say no to #ecocide ⛔️🙊🔥🌴🪔 when u shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/19/tapanuli-orangutan-pongo-tapanuliensis/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance and Behaviour
With expressive faces and a deep orange coat, the Tapanuli Orangutan shares similarities with their Sumatran Orangutan and Bornean Orangutan cousins, but they are genetically and physically distinct. They possess frizzier hair, smaller skulls, flatter faces, and a more prominent moustache. Adult males have uniquely shaped flanges and emit a long call that is subtly different from other orangutans, showing acoustic divergence linked to genetic isolation.
Tapanuli Orangutans live solitary lives or in small, loose social groups. They are primarily arboreal, building elaborate sleeping nests in the forest canopy each night. Recent drone studies by Rahman et al. (2025) confirmed their high canopy preference, and the use of thermal sensors detected individuals invisible to the human eye. These shy forest dwellers avoid human presence and vanish into the dense trees with startling ease.
Diet
Dietary studies from the Tapanuli Orangutan Research Station (Arief & Mijiarto, 2024) recorded 91 plant species consumed, including fruits, young leaves, flowers, bark, and insects. While fruit forms the core of their diet, they also consume termites and other invertebrates when fruit is scarce. Figs, durians, and forest fruits are critical seasonal food sources, and loss of these plants due to palm oil plantations may lead to starvation.
Reproduction and Mating
Tapanuli Orangutans have an extremely slow reproductive rate. Females give birth once every 6–8 years after a gestation of 8.5 months. Infant orangutans remain with their mothers for up to 9 years, learning complex forest survival skills. This slow life history makes them exceptionally vulnerable—losing even a few individuals per year could doom the entire species. Population viability studies predict an 83% decline over three generations without immediate intervention (Wich et al., 2016).
Geographic Range
Once found across a vast swathe of southern Sumatra, the Tapanuli Orangutan now survives in only three isolated forest blocks of the Batang Toru Ecosystem—just 1,500 km². Only 10% of this is formally protected. Historical records suggest they once roamed as far south as Jambi and Palembang, but massive deforestation and human persecution have erased them from most of their former range. Their current habitat is dissected by roads, mines, and farmland.
Threats
The Tapanuli Orangutan was until relatively recently more widespread, with sightings further south in the lowland peat swamp forests in the Lumut area (Wich et al. 2003) and several nests encountered during a rapid survey in 2010 (G. Fredriksson pers. obs.). The forests in the Lumut area have in recent years almost completely been converted to oil-palm plantations.
Agro-industrial Expansion for Palm Oil and Rubber
The most significant threat to the Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) is the relentless conversion of their highland forest habitat into industrial monocultures—particularly palm oil plantations, but also rubber and coffee. A 2024 study highlighted how forest clearance for oil palm, coffee, and rubber cultivation in the Batang Toru Ecosystem has devastated vital orangutan habitat, triggering migration into village gardens and escalating human-orangutan conflict (Lesmana et al., 2024). Wich et al. (2016) further underscore that nearly 14% of the orangutan’s range lacks any form of protection and is especially vulnerable to conversion. Entire lowland forest systems, such as those in the Lumut area, have been obliterated and replaced with palm oil plantations. The habitat loss is not only large-scale but also permanent, given the legal backing often enjoyed by agribusiness in Sumatra.
Infrastructure Development: Hydroelectric dams, roads and gold mining
A controversial Chinese-funded hydropower project threatens to destroy 10% of the Tapanuli Orangutan’s population. Located in the highest-density area of their range, the project will fragment habitat and block genetic flow for Tapanuli Orangutans and make the population vulnerable to collapse (Wich et al., 2019; Lesmana et al., 2024).
Gold and silver mining operations have already cleared approximately 3 km² of orangutan habitat and continue to expand. Compounding these threats, newly constructed roads have opened up previously inaccessible areas, accelerating both forest encroachment and illegal wildlife trade. As highlighted in the Floresta Ambient study (2024), such development has profoundly altered orangutan behaviour, pushing them into conflict with nearby communities.
Illegal Logging and Land Speculation
Despite the 2014 reclassification of parts of the Batang Toru forest from production to protection status, logging continues under outdated or contested permits. One company retains a 300 km² logging permit that cuts through primary orangutan habitat (Wich et al., 2016).
This deforestation is often driven by speculative land grabbing, with companies clearing forest to increase the value of land holdings. Encroachment is further driven by economic migrants, particularly from Nias Island, who settle in these unallocated forests due to lack of land tenure regulation. These migrants frequently convert forested land to agriculture, directly encroaching upon orangutan territories and escalating poaching and human-wildlife conflict (Samsuri et al., 2023).
Human-Orangutan Conflict, Illegal Hunting and the Illegal Pet Trade
Hunting poses a severe and often overlooked threat to the Tapanuli Orangutan. Conflict killings occur when orangutans forage in fruit trees or crops near villages, with some individuals shot with firearms or air rifles during crop conflict. With such a small population, every death is devastating. Orangutan infants are often trafficked for the exotic pet trade after their mothers are killed. According to Wich et al. (2012), the species’ slow reproductive rate makes any loss of adult females—particularly those with offspring—catastrophic for population viability.
The Floresta Ambient (2024) study documents that fruit-bearing trees in village gardens are a primary attractant for orangutans, intensifying seasonal conflict. Despite laws prohibiting the capture and trade of orangutans under CITES Appendix I, enforcement remains weak, and the trade persists.
Take Action!
We are at a tipping point. Only decisive action will save the Tapanuli Orangutan:
- Boycott palm oil every time you shop – learn more here.
- Oppose and resist destructive hydroelectric projects like the Batang Toru dam.
- Support local conservation groups and indigenous-led protection of the Batang Toru forest.
- Demand a moratorium on mining and infrastructure projects in orangutan habitat.
#BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
FAQs
How many Tapanuli orangutans are left in the wild?
The Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) is the rarest great ape on Earth, with fewer than 800 individuals remaining in the wild. This species is confined to a single, highly fragmented population in the Batang Toru Ecosystem of North Sumatra. According to Wich et al. (2016), the total area of suitable habitat is just over 1,000 km², making their population extremely vulnerable to stochastic events, inbreeding, and continued habitat degradation. A 75-year population viability analysis predicted a staggering decline from ~1,489 individuals in 1985 to just 257 by 2060 without urgent intervention (Wich et al., 2019).
Surveys using innovative thermal drone technology in 2023 confirmed that detection rates are consistent between aerial and ground methods, affirming the grim reality of their numbers (Rahman et al., 2025). With extremely low reproduction rates (a female produces one offspring every 7–9 years), any mortality has a profound impact on population dynamics. The population’s isolation and the lack of genetic exchange further endanger its viability, pushing the species closer to extinction unless dramatic changes are made to protect and connect its remaining habitat (Nater et al., 2017).
How long do Tapanuli orangutans live?
In the wild, Tapanuli orangutans are believed to live approximately 30 to 40 years, with some individuals possibly reaching 50. In captivity, individuals can live up to 60 years when protected from threats and given regular medical care. However, data specific to Pongo tapanuliensis are limited, as they have only recently been recognised as a separate species (Nater et al., 2017). Like other great apes, their slow reproductive cycle means that females generally give birth once every 7–9 years, and juveniles remain dependent on their mothers for up to 8 years. This slow life history leaves them especially vulnerable to population crashes when faced with increased mortality from hunting, habitat loss, or conflict (Wich et al., 2019).
The longevity of these apes in the wild is severely compromised by anthropogenic threats. Conflict with humans over fruiting crops, road construction, and the development of hydropower dams has placed increasing stress on their ecosystem, reducing not only the lifespan of individuals due to direct killings but also the carrying capacity of their habitat. Without the intact rainforest necessary to support their dietary and nesting needs, lifespans are likely to decline further, particularly for juvenile apes displaced or orphaned by habitat destruction (Samsuri et al., 2023).
Why are Tapanuli orangutans disappearing?
Tapanuli orangutans are being driven to extinction by a lethal cocktail of deforestation, infrastructure development, mining, poaching, and habitat fragmentation. Between 1985 and 2007, lowland forest habitat below 500 m was reduced by 60% due to palm oil plantations, road construction, and smallholder agriculture (Wich et al., 2016). These losses have accelerated in recent years, with one of the most devastating developments being the Batang Toru hydroelectric dam, which threatens to sever key corridors connecting their small subpopulations and destroy 10% of their core habitat (Rahman et al., 2025).
In addition, illegal killings are rising due to human-orangutan conflict, especially where crops like durians and jackfruit attract hungry apes into village fields. Surveys in the Dolok Sipirok region found that most conflicts occurred on the edge of forest areas where agriculture has expanded, resulting in economic losses for local people and retaliation killings of orangutans (Floresta Ambient, 2024). These apes are also at risk from trafficking—juveniles are captured for the pet trade, and their mothers are often killed in the process. As these apes only give birth once every 7–9 years, even the loss of a few individuals each year can rapidly collapse the population.
Are Tapanuli orangutans affected by palm oil plantations?
Yes, palm oil expansion is one of the most significant threats to the Tapanuli orangutan’s survival. Forest clearance for palm oil plantations has already wiped out entire swathes of their historic range, especially in the lowland areas of Lumut. These forests were once part of their known distribution, but have now been almost entirely replaced by monocultures of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) (Wich et al., 2016; Nater et al., 2017). Such plantations are ecologically barren for orangutans, offering no food, nesting sites, or safety, while exposing them to poaching and conflict with humans.
The construction of roads and industrial developments linked to palm oil has fragmented orangutan habitat, making it harder for individuals to move safely between feeding and nesting areas. This fragmentation reduces genetic diversity and increases the risk of inbreeding, which has already been detected in Tapanuli orangutan genomes (Nater et al., 2017). Beyond habitat loss, palm oil plantations bring human settlements, increased hunting, and indirect threats like noise pollution and chemical runoff. As seen across Sumatra and Borneo, the palm oil industry’s unchecked expansion continues to destroy the last refuges for Asia’s great apes, including the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan.
Is poaching and illegal trade still a problem for Tapanuli orangutans?
Absolutely. Despite national and international protection, Tapanuli orangutans are still poached, particularly in areas where they forage on cultivated fruit trees, triggering conflict with farmers. According to Samsuri et al. (2023), human-wildlife conflict is one of the strongest predictors of orangutan mortality in the region. Infants are especially at risk from the pet trade; mothers are frequently killed to take babies alive. These infants are then smuggled and sold illegally, often under the guise of ecotourism or exotic pet ownership.
Lack of enforcement is a major factor behind the persistence of illegal trade. While Indonesia has laws against orangutan capture and trade, penalties are rarely enforced and often misunderstood by local communities (Lesmana et al., 2024). Furthermore, conservation areas are often poorly monitored. Forest edge communities facing economic hardship may view orangutans as pests or potential profit. Unless conservation is led by local people and grounded in economic alternatives to poaching and deforestation, the illegal killing of orangutans will continue unchecked.
Can drones help monitor their numbers?
Yes. A 2023 drone study (Rahman et al., 2025) showed thermal drones are effective in detecting orangutans through dense canopy, offering a non-invasive tool for population monitoring.
Further Information
Arief, H., & Mijiarto, J. (2024). Food diversity of the Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) in the Tapanuli Orangutan Research Station Plan, North Sumatra. Jurnal Pengelolaan Sumberdaya Alam dan Lingkungan, 14(2), 376–388. https://doi.org/10.29244/jpsl.14.2.376
Arief, H., & Mijiarto, J. (2024). The human and Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) conflict in the tropical mountain rainforest ecosystem, Indonesia. Floresta e Ambiente, 31(1). https://doi.org/10.1590/2179-8087-FLORAM-2023-0019
Lesmana, Y., Basuni, S., & Soekmadi, R. (2024). Ecosophy as a form of protection for the Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) in the Batang Toru Landscape, North Sumatra. Biodiversitas, 25(11), 4535–4542. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d251152
Nater, A., Mattle-Greminger, M. P., Nurcahyo, A., Nowak, M. G., De Manuel, M., Desai, T., & Lameira, A. R. (2017). Morphometric, behavioural, and genomic evidence for a new orangutan species. Current Biology, 27(22), 3487–3498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2017.09.047
Nowak, M.G., Rianti, P., Wich , S.A., Meijaard, E. & Fredriksson, G. 2017. Pongo tapanuliensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T120588639A120588662. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T120588639A120588662.en. Downloaded on 24 January 2021.
Rahman, D. A., Putro, H. R., Mufawwaz, T. A., Rinaldi, D., Yudiarti, Y., Prabowo, E. D., Arief, H., Sihite, J., & Priantara, F. R. N. (2025). Developing a new method using thermal drones for population surveys of the world’s rarest great ape species, Pongo tapanuliensis. Global Ecology and Conservation, 58, e03463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03463
Samsuri, A., Zaitunah, A., Ashari, R. H., & Kuswanda, W. (2023). Biophysical and anthropogenic factors affecting human and Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) conflict in Sumatran tropical rainforest, Indonesia. Environmental & Socio-economic Studies, 11(4), 77–91. http://bazekon.icm.edu.pl/bazekon/element/bwmeta1.element.ekon-element-000171681828
Wich, S. A., Fredriksson, G. M., Usher, G., & Kühl, H. S. (2019). The Tapanuli orangutan: Status, threats, and steps for improved conservation. Conservation Science and Practice, 1(4), e33. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.33
Tapanuli Orangutan Pongo tapanuliensis
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