Thursday, 1 November 2012

Forest corridors are vital to survival of Sumatran orangutans


The destruction of the rainforest is not the only problem: A change of strategy is needed to save the Sumatran orangutans
October 2012. The orangutans in Sumatra are in danger of becoming extinct. Anthropologists from the University of Zurich have proved that the Sumatran orangutan has suffered a drastic decrease in population recently.
For the first time, they studied the genetic make-up and migratory behaviour of these animals. They discovered that the population is divided into several sub-populations which existed long before the destruction of the rainforest, so they are of a geographic origin.
Some good news
While this population structure does not help preserve the species, there is some good news: Young male orangutans overcome their disadvantages with lengthy journeys. This finding leads to the discovery of a strategy that could save these critically endangered apes.
Orangutans are the only large apes in Asia and are mostly arboreal. There are two species orangutans, 1 in Sumatran and 1 in Borneo: While the Borneo population lives in large sections of Borneo, the Sumatran orangutan is only found at the northern tip of Sumatra. With a current population of only around 6,600 Sumatra orangutans, a figure which is dropping rapidly and constantly, this species is on the Red List of Threatened Species.

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