PRESS RELEASE
Primate scientists stress urgency of more effective conservation for Sumatran orangutans, especially in light of new genetic findings. 17th August 2014 Hanoi, Vietnam
-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐ Over 900 primate scientists and conservationists from around the world gathered this week in Hanoi for the 25th biannual congress of the International Primatological Society. Numerous topics were raised and discussed pertaining to the conservation of the world’s primates in Asia, Africa and the Americas. Indonesia was noted as a particularly important country in terms of its primates having 59 species and 77 taxa (the term ‘taxa’ referring to “types” of primate, i.e. species AND subspecies) , with 35 species (58 taxa) being endemic to Indonesa and found nowhere else in the world. However, concern was also expressed due to the fact that 53 (68.8%) of Indonesia’s primate taxa are currently threatened with extinction, according to the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species (http://www.iucnredlist.org). Particular concern was expressed several times regarding the plight of the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), a separate and distinct species from its relative the Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus spp). Due to a recent dramatic increase in the level of threat to Sumatra’s globally renowned Leuser Ecosystem, where around 85% of all remaining wild Sumatran orangutans are found, a motion was approved to place the Sumatran orangutan on the list of the World’s Top 25 Most Endangered Primates. The species’ survival is intrinsically linked to the protection of the Leuser Ecosystem, a National Strategic Area for its Environmental Function under Indonesian National Law No 26/2007 and Government regulation No 26/2008. Its protection is also mandated in Aceh Governance Law no 11/2006, which specifically states that no level of government is able to grant permits within the Leuser Ecosystem that damage its important environmental function. Nevertheless, a recent highly controversial new spatial planning law passed by the government of Aceh province completely ignores the Leuser Ecosystem’s existence, whilst a new Aceh Governor’s regulation signed on February 12th 2014 specifically outlines the procedures for obtaining concession permits within its boundaries. “We are extremely concerned about this situation” stated Dr Ian Singleton, Director of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, “with these new developments it seems crystal clear that the Aceh Government deliberately intends to open up and destroy huge tracts of the Leuser Ecosystem. This will be disastrous for Sumatra’s orangutans and also Sumatra’s other iconic megafauna, the Sumatran rhino, elephant, and tiger.” He added.