TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The population of Sumatran orangutans continues its steady decline. Latest survey findings published in a reputable scientific journal reveal that the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) population has fallen to roughly 11,694 individuals, marking a 19.5 percent drop since 2011. Meanwhile, the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) population is estimated at just 716 remaining individuals.
Annisa Rahmawati, Senior Wildlife Campaigner at Geopix, described the findings as a stark warning to both the government and corporations operating within the Batang Toru natural habitat.
"There is zero tolerance left for habitat destruction or any activity that heightens the risk of population decline. The loss of even a single individual carries severe consequences for the survival of Tapanuli orangutans," she said on Monday, July 20, 2026.
Conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Forestry, the survey also revealed that roughly 82 percent of the orangutan population remains within designated conservation forests. However, approximately 2,200 individuals, or nearly one-fifth of the total population, inhabit unprotected areas subject to far weaker safeguards.
The most drastic decline occurred in the Leuser ecosystem, which lost roughly 2,000 individuals over more than a decade. In Rawa Tripa, numbers plummeted by 75 percent, shrinking from 212 to a mere 52 individuals. Meanwhile, the Batu Ardan population fell by nearly 40 percent, dropping from 556 to 332 individuals.
Annisa noted that threats facing orangutans extend far beyond habitat loss to include human-wildlife conflict, poaching, illegal trade, and habitat fragmentation. The repatriation of Sumatran orangutans from Thailand in late 2025 offers clear evidence that illegal wildlife trafficking remains rampant.
Geopix is urging the government to bolster protection for ecological corridors linking habitats, restore degraded forest land, and tighten law enforcement against poaching and trafficking. The organization is also calling for conservation considerations to be integrated into all development policies that could impact orangutan habitats.
"Enough is enough. We have seen enough destruction and debate. We must act now, or orangutans will go extinct before our eyes, faster than we ever imagined," Annisa said.
Read: Orangutans on the Verge of Extinction
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