Sumatran Orangutan Population Dwindles to 11,694
The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) has revealed the results of its latest population survey of the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis). Based on the survey period of 2021–2023, the Sumatran orangutan population is estimated at 11,694 individuals, while the Tapanuli orangutan numbers just 716.
The survey results were presented at the National Seminar on a Decade of Collaborative Conservation of the Sumatran and Tapanuli Orangutans in Medan on Saturday (18/7). The findings will form the scientific basis for conservation policies for the two species endemic to Indonesia.
Deputy Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki said orangutan conservation requires the collaboration of all stakeholders so that species protection efforts can run effectively.
“Orangutan conservation is a shared responsibility. Success can only be achieved through strong collaboration between government, academics, conservation partners, the business community, and society. The scientific data produced through this survey is an important foundation for developing properly targeted conservation policies,” said Rohmat.
He said the government continues to strengthen habitat protection, improve the effectiveness of conservation area management, and encourage synergy among various parties to safeguard the survival of the Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutan populations.
These efforts also form 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, Head of the North Sumatra Provincial Environment and Forestry Office Heri Wahyudi Marpaung said orangutan habitats are located not only within conservation areas, but also span protected forests, production forests, and other land-use areas (APL).
For that reason, he said, conservation must be carried out collaboratively by central government, regional governments, forest area managers, the business community, academics, and the public.
Beyond presenting the survey results, the seminar also marked the start of the preparation of the 2026 Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA) for the Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans.
That document will serve as the scientific basis for refining the Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (SRAK) for the two species.
The Ministry of Forestry said the survey results also show that conservation challenges remain significant. The Sumatran orangutan population has declined compared with the 2011 baseline, while the Tapanuli orangutan remains in a vulnerable condition because its population is confined to the Batang Toru landscape.
“The population survey and the preparation of the PHVA are important parts of supporting the implementation of IBSAP 2025–2045, which places species protection and biodiversity as national priorities. That is why synergy among all stakeholders must continue to be strengthened so that conservation of the Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans can proceed in a systematic, adaptive, and sustainable manner,” said Rohmat.