Cyber Flashcards

10 OF THE MOST ENDANGERED PRIMATE SPECIES

#9

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Female Tapanuli orangutan. Photo credit: Tim Laman/Creative Commons
what is thIS PRIMATE'S common name?
TAPANULI ORANGUTAN
What is the scientific name?
Pongo tapanuliensis
​WHAT KIND OF PRIMATE IS THIS?
GREAT APE
Where do they live?
Tapanuli orangutans are only found in the South Tapanuli region of Sumatra in a small territory covering about 390 sq mi (1,010 sq km). Their native Batang Toru region is a rich landscape of hilly lowland tropical rainforest and mossy mountainous forest, divided by the Sumatran rift valley.
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Asia
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Where Tapanuli orangutans live (red arrow, click to enlarge). Map: IUCN
New world or old world?
OLD WORLD
fascinating facts
  • Tapanuli orangutans were recognized as a distinct orangutan species via DNA analysis in late 2017
  • They are thought to be the most ancient of the three orangutan species
  • Only 800 individuals are estimated to exist
  • The long high-pitched call of the male Tapanuli orangutan is a mix between the calls that males in Borneo and Sumatra produce
  • Their calls last longer and are delivered with more pulses at a higher rate than those of the other orangutan species
What threatens their future?
Because most of the lowlands surrounding their habitat have already been converted for agriculture, the survival of Tapanuli orangutans is even more challenging than that of the Sumatran and Bornean species. Confined to a small geographical area, Tapanuli orangutans are already split into three blocks—East, West, and those in the Sibuali-Buali Nature Reserve. Without access to wild corridors, the current population may not be able to reproduce and maintain the healthy gene pool that is crucial to its survival. In addition to habitat loss, orangutans are killed as agricultural pests, and hunted for the pet trade.
​WHAT IS their CONSERVATION STATUS?
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
What Does this Conservation Status mean?
Critically Endangered (CR) – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
Any species categorized as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable is considered by conservation scientists to be a threatened species
​HERE'S A SNAPSHOT AND THE SPECIES' PROFILE
Click or tap on the graphic to enlarge it
​LEARN MORE ABOUT Tapanuli Orangutans
Go to the Tapanuli orangutan Primate Species Profiles page
are Tapanuli orangutans good pets?
NO
  1. Although very cute when babies, orangutans are very large tree-dwelling apes whose dietary and environmental needs cannot be adequately met or replicated in human living conditions. 
  2. To become pets, baby primates are stolen from their mothers. As a result, they do not develop normally emotionally.
  3. When taken from the wild, their mothers are killed to capture the baby.
  4. Primates are never domesticated. They always remain wild. 
  5. Caged primates are very unhappy and frustrated. They are likely to resist confinement. They are quick and cause damaging bites and scratches. Some die as a result of their captivity.
  6. Many locations have strict regulations that prohibit trading in or keeping primates and endangered species are pets.
  7. Tapanuli orangutans belong with other Tapanuli orangutans in Sumatra, Indonesia. They and their habitats must be protected, not exploited.
#PrimatesAreNotPets
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​Common names are not officially defined. They are based on everyday conversational language and may differ by country, region, profession, community, or other factors. As a result, it is not unusual for a species to have multiple common names.

Scientific names, on the other hand, are standardized and constant. They are Latinized and rule-bound by a formal naming system called binominal nomenclature. Scientific names prevent misidentification. They typically only change if a species is officially redesignated.
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The biological order of Primates is divided into these classifications:​
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​​New World monkeys are native to Central and South America.

Old World monkeys are native to Africa and Asia.
Learn about the differences between New World monkeys and Old World monkeys
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  • ​Extinct (EX) – No known individuals remaining.
  • Extinct in the Wild (EW) – Known only to survive in captivity.
  • Critically Endangered (CR) – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Endangered (EN) – High risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild.
  • Near Threatened (NT) – Likely to become endangered in the near future.
  • Least Concern (LC) – Widespread and abundant.
  • Data Deficient (DD) – Not enough data to assess the species' risk of extinction.
  • Not Evaluated (NE) – Has not yet been evaluated.
Learn more about ​Conservation Statuses
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