"The genetic study shows that there is a high risk of extinction in Sabah in the near future if this decline goes on unabated," warned one of the authors, Marc Ancrenaz of the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project.
Orangutans are the only great ape to be found outside of Africa.
There are two species:
Pongo abeli, found only in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, and
Pongo pygmaeus, found in Borneo, an island shared by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Most of the
P. pygmaeus orangutans are in Sabah.
A figure of 27,000 for the overall two populations has been advanced, but many experts say the number is unreliable.
There is unanimity, though, that both populations have declined dramatically.
This is especially the case among Borneo orangutans, whose numbers may have declined by as much as a third in 1996 and 1997 as a result of forest fires and drought.
The Sabah apes are further at risk by managed forests and palm oil plantations, which fragment their habitat, leaving the orangutans in isolated communities and unable to breed.
"This population will disappear forever if (natural) forests are converted to oil-palm agriculture," Laurentius Ambu, deputy director of the Sabah Wildlife Department, said in a PLoS press release.
"The results of our genetic study underscore the need to act now to protect the long-term survival of the species. The animals still show enough genetic diversity to stabilize, if immediate steps are taken to reconnect remnant forest patches and halt further deforestation."
Last Tuesday, the Malaysian government said it planned to boost palm oil product by up to 25 percent to meet surging demand for the alternative biodiesel fuel.
The country hopes to achieve this by boosting yields by a quarter over the next five years, in addition to increasing acreage in Sabah and the eastern state of Sarawak.
Name: Orangutan (
Pongo pygmaeus)
Primary Classification: Hominidae (Chimpanzees, Gorillas, Orangutans and Humans)
Location: The islands of Borneo and Sumatra in Indonesia.
Habitat: Mature tropical rainforest.
Diet: Mainly fruits. Also other vegetation, lizards, termites, nestlings and eggs.
Size: Up to 4.5 ft in length and 175 lbs in weight.
Description: Reddish-brown in color; long, shaggy hair; very long arms; strong, grasping hands; heavy body; hand-like feet; males have large cheek pads, a hanging throat patch, a square-shaped face and a long beard and moustache.
Cool Facts: They spend almost their entire lives in treetops, males coming down occasionally to move between stands of trees. Mothers with young children build two to three nests a day — one in the evening and one or more during the day for resting and playing.
Conservation Status: Endangered
Major Threats: Habitat loss.
What Can I Do?: Visit
The Orangutan Network and
Orangutan Foundation International for information on how you can help.
