A new analysis reports that Cyclone Senyar, which brings several days of extreme rainfall to Sumatra, contributes to a sharp decline in the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan population. Multiple outlets state that roughly 58 Tapanuli orangutans died after landslides and other impacts linked to the storm, which is described as involving days of heavy rain. The deaths are estimated to amount to about 7% of the species’ known population, moving the species closer to extinction.
Researchers attribute the catastrophe to the storm’s intense, sustained rainfall that triggers landslides, leaving orangutans crushed or buried. The articles also warn that similar extreme weather events may become more frequent as the climate changes. Because the Tapanuli orangutan is among the rarest great apes and was only identified as a distinct species in 2017, conservation concerns are heightened by the scale of mortality reported from a single event.
Overall, the reports emphasize the immediate threat posed by the cyclone and the broader risk that climate-driven increases in extreme rainfall could further reduce survival prospects for the species.
