The Sumatran Orangutan
A species that we may have to say goodbye to in 2015
About the Orangutan:
The Sumatran Orangutan is critically endangered. Their population is currently estimated with about 7,300 orangutans, split into 13 populations over 21 forest blocks. Habitat loss and degradation is the main cause of all of these orangutans deaths. The orangutan habitat in north Sumatra is being lost at an very high rate, mainly due to logging and forest conversion to oil palm plantations and other agriculture. In the Batang Toru and east Sipirok areas, it was reported that orangutans are hunted for food. If logging and hunting are stopped, only populations of 250 or more orangutans may have long-term viability. Although, if habitat loss is not stopped, then Sumatran orangutan populations may decline by 50% in about a decade, and by 96% in 50 years, and will eventually go extinct!
What we can do to stop these creatures from going extinct:
People are not doing these things by accident. If we wanted to we could stop these creatures from going extinct. If people stopped hunting these monkeys, and stopped destroying their habitats, that would help them stay alive. By not chopping down and/or building in their habitats we can save them from extinction!
This is NOT the only endangered species!
The Sumatran Orangutan is not the only endangered species! There are lots of species that are endangered around the world!