The Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) is a species of orangutan restricted to South Tapanuli in the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.[3] It is one of three known species of orangutan, alongside the Sumatran orangutan (P. abelii), found farther northwest on the island, and the Bornean orangutan (P. pygmaeus). It was described as a distinct species in 2017.[4] As of 2018, there are roughly 800 individuals of this species and it is currently on the critically endangered species list.[5]
how many left?
The Tapanuli orangutan is a critically endangered species of great ape.
The Tapanuli orangutan holotype was identified in late 2013 after the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme was contacted about an orangutan from Batang Toru that had been severely injured by humans. Sadly, the orangutan passed days later.
The Tapanuli orangutan was finally described as its own distinct species in 2017 after a detailed study on the genetics and morphology of wild orangutans throughout Borneo and Sumatra. They are classified as the most endangered species of great ape.
Researchers also believe that the Bornean group of orangutans split from the Tapanuli group which is why P. tapanuliensis is more genetically related to Bornean orangutans than that of Sumatran.
As a species, they are identified as having smaller heads and flatter faces compared to the other two other orangutan species.
There are fewer than 800 currently in the wild.
Geographic Distribution and Habitat
Everything we know about the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) is limited to a single population remaining on the island of Sumatra, in a region called Batang Toru, south of Lake Toba. Less than 800 Tapanuli orangutans live here, restricted to the fragmented rainforests of this region’s uplands.
Before this small population was discovered in 1997, it was believed that no orangutans lived south of Lake Toba. Researchers also assumed that these newly discovered individuals must be more Sumatran orangutans, like the ones found to the north. But in 2017, following genetic and morphological research, it became suddenly apparent that the members of this isolated population represented a new species of orangutan altogether!
The discovery of a new great ape was exciting but not all good news. With less than 800 Tapanuli orangutans remaining in the wild, researchers had discovered a new species on the very brink of extinction.
A more recent study has shown that the area Tapanuli orangutans once roamed was likely much larger than it is today. Another has shown that the remnant population’s current whereabouts were probably not part of its original range or habitat. Although they are better adapted for life at a lower altitude, the orangutans seem to have gradually retreated into the hills for protection from human activities.
Facts
Known for their distinctive red fur, orangutans are the largest arboreal mammal, spending most of their time in trees. Long, powerful arms and grasping hands and feet allow them to move through the branches. These great apes share 96.4% of our genes and are highly intelligent creatures.
- CRStatusCritically Endangered
- Populationabout 104,700 (Bornean), 13,846 (Sumatran), 800 (Tapanuli)
- Scientific NamePongo abelii, Pongo pygmaeus
- Weightup to 200 pounds
The name orangutan means “man of the forest” in the Malay language. In the lowland forests in which they reside, orangutans live solitary existences. They feast on wild fruits like lychees, mangosteens, and figs, and slurp water from holes in trees. They make nests in trees of vegetation to sleep at night and rest during the day. Adult male orangutans can weigh up to 200 pounds. Flanged males have prominent cheek pads called flanges and a throat sac used to make loud verbalizations called long calls. An unflanged male looks like an adult female. In a biological phenomenon unique among primates, an unflanged male can change to a flanged male for reasons that are not yet fully understood.
Bornean and Sumatran orangutans differ a little in appearance and behavior. While both have shaggy reddish fur, Sumatran orangutans have longer facial hair. Sumatran orangutans are reported to have closer social bonds than their Bornean cousins. Bornean orangutans are more likely to descend from the trees to move around on the ground. Both species have experienced sharp population declines. A century ago there were probably more than 230,000 orangutans in total, but the Bornean orangutan is now estimated at about 104,700 based on updated geographic range (Endangered) and the Sumatran about 7,500 (Critically Endangered).
A third species of orangutan was announced in November, 2017. With no more than 800 individuals in existence, the Tapanuli orangutan is the most endangered of all great apes.
discover
Known for their distinctive red fur, orangutans are the largest arboreal mammal, spending most of their time in trees. Long, powerful arms and grasping hands and feet allow them to move through the branches. These great apes share 96.4% of our genes and are highly intelligent creatures.
- CRStatusCritically Endangered
- Populationabout 104,700 (Bornean), 13,846 (Sumatran), 800 (Tapanuli)
- Scientific NamePongo abelii, Pongo pygmaeus
- Weightup to 200 pounds
The name orangutan means “man of the forest” in the Malay language. In the lowland forests in which they reside, orangutans live solitary existences. They feast on wild fruits like lychees, mangosteens, and figs, and slurp water from holes in trees. They make nests in trees of vegetation to sleep at night and rest during the day. Adult male orangutans can weigh up to 200 pounds. Flanged males have prominent cheek pads called flanges and a throat sac used to make loud verbalizations called long calls. An unflanged male looks like an adult female. In a biological phenomenon unique among primates, an unflanged male can change to a flanged male for reasons that are not yet fully understood.
Bornean and Sumatran orangutans differ a little in appearance and behavior. While both have shaggy reddish fur, Sumatran orangutans have longer facial hair. Sumatran orangutans are reported to have closer social bonds than their Bornean cousins. Bornean orangutans are more likely to descend from the trees to move around on the ground. Both species have experienced sharp population declines. A century ago there were probably more than 230,000 orangutans in total, but the Bornean orangutan is now estimated at about 104,700 based on updated geographic range (Endangered) and the Sumatran about 7,500 (Critically Endangered).
A third species of orangutan was announced in November, 2017. With no more than 800 individuals in existence, the Tapanuli orangutan is the most endangered of all great apes.