Sumatran Orangutan Population Dwindles to 11,694

The Ministry of Forestry has released the results of the latest population survey for the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis). Based on the survey conducted between 2021 and 2023, the Sumatran orangutan population is estimated at 11,694 individuals, while the Tapanuli orangutan population stands at only 716 individuals. The findings were presented at a National Seminar reflecting on a decade of collaborative conservation for the Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans in Medan on Saturday (18/7). The data will serve as a scientific foundation for formulating conservation policies for the two endemic Indonesian species. Deputy Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki stated that orangutan conservation requires collaboration from all stakeholders for protection efforts to be effective. “Conservation of orangutans is a shared responsibility. Success can only be achieved through strong collaboration between the government, academics, conservation partners, the business sector, and the community. The scientific data produced through this survey forms a crucial basis for developing targeted conservation policies,” Rohmat said. He noted that the government continues to strengthen habitat protection, expand the effectiveness of conservation area management, and encourage synergy among various parties to maintain the sustainability of the Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutan populations. These efforts are also part of the implementation of the Indonesian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (IBSAP) 2025–2045, which places species protection as a national priority. On the same occasion, the Head of the Environment and Forestry Service of North Sumatra Province, Heri Wahyudi Marpaung, explained that orangutan habitats are not only located in conservation areas but also cross protected forests, production forests, and other use areas (APL). Therefore, he argued, conservation must be carried out collaboratively by the central government, regional governments, forest area managers, the business sector, academics, and the community. In addition to presenting the survey results, the seminar also marked the start of the preparation of the Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA) for the Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans for 2026. This document will become the scientific basis for refining the Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (SRAK) for both species. The Ministry of Forestry stated that the survey results also highlight the significant challenges facing conservation. The Sumatran orangutan population was recorded as having declined compared to the 2011 baseline, while the Tapanuli orangutan remains in a vulnerable condition because its population is only spread across the Batang Toru landscape. “The implementation of the population survey and the preparation of the PHVA are important parts of supporting the implementation of IBSAP 2025–2045, which places the protection of species and biodiversity as a national priority. Therefore, the synergy of all stakeholders must continue to be strengthened so that the conservation of the Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans can proceed systematically, adaptively, and sustainably,” Rohmat concluded.