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Orangutan Graveyard: Cyclone Devastation Hits Rare Apes
12 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Landslides destroyed 7,200 hectares of primary forest habitat.
- Conservationists believe Tapanuli orangutans, a rare species, perished.
- Over 900 people have died from floods and landslides since late November.
Recent heavy rains and landslides, following Cyclone Senyar's late November landfall, have devastated parts of Indonesia, creating what is being called an orangutan graveyard. An estimated 7,200 hectares of primary forest habitat on mountain slopes have been completely destroyed by the violent events.
Conservationists are gravely concerned for the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan, a species only identified in 2017. Preliminary observations suggest that up to 35 of these rare primates may have perished due to the extreme destruction of their habitat, a significant blow to their fragile population.
The natural disaster has also resulted in over 900 human fatalities, with hundreds still missing and numerous villages in Sumatra completely destroyed. The ongoing devastation highlights the severe impact of extreme weather events on both wildlife and human populations.
