58 Sumatran Orangutans Killed Instantly, Buried by Mud and Logs

Cyclone Senyar, which hit western Sumatra last November, killed 58 orangutans, amounting to 7% of the entire Tapanuli orangutan population. The Tapanuli orangutans were discovered buried among debris, mud, and logs. Humanitarian workers found the orangutan carcasses buried in mud and timber in the village of Pulo Pakkat, Central Tapanuli.

‘I have seen several human bodies in recent days, but this is the first wild animal body,’ said Decky Chandra, who works with a humanitarian team. Erik Meijaard, Executive Director of Borneo Futures, viewed photographs of the dead orangutans and was shocked that all the flesh on their faces had been torn away. He said the massive landslides that occurred at the time left even the orangutans powerless. ‘If several hectares of forest collapse in a massive landslide, even the mighty orangutan is helpless and shattered to pieces,’ he explained. ‘It must have been terrifying to be in the forest at that time,’ he added.

Researchers explained that Cyclone Senyar, which also killed more than 1,000 people, could occur again in the future. Ultimately, the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall could threaten the survival of the Tapanuli orangutan, as well as its habitat. According to research, the orangutan could face extinction if its numbers continue to decline by more than 1% of the population recorded in 2017. Meanwhile, the orangutan deaths caused by Cyclone Senyar reached 10% of the population, exceeding the animals’ capacity to recover. ‘That mortality rate far exceeds the animals’ ability to survive. So this is a major event,’ said Sergei Vich, a primatologist at Liverpool John Moores University and one of the study’s authors.