KOTA KINABALU: Researchers have discovered a new species of orangutan in North Sumatra, Indonesia, prompting conservationists to call for urgent protection of the species.
The species Pongo tapanuliensis, also known as the Tapanuli orangutan, was found in the three Tapanuli districts of North Sumatra after close analysis of primate inhabitants of the Batang Toru ecosystem.
The discovery was made by collaborative research from an international team, including researchers from the School of Biosciences at Cardiff University.
Cardiff University reader Benoit Goossens said the Batang Toru populations of orangutans in Sumatra were only rediscovered in 1997.
“It was not until 2013 that the researchers received the skeleton of an adult male orangutan that was killed during conflict, and we realised that there were significant physical and genetic differences in these apes.
“By comparing the skull to other orangutans, it was clear that this skull showed dramatic differences. It is crucial that we work to conserve the forest, because if we do not take the steps needed to protect the Tapanuli orangutans, we could see their discovery and extinction within our lifetime,” said Goossens, who was also the director of Danau Girang Field centre.
He said the finding suggested that the Batang Toru orangutan population was potentially unique, which prompted the international team of researchers to work together to gather further evidence.
The team, which is led by Professor Michael Krützen from University of Zürich, is made up of members of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, Indonesian authorities, the Australian National University, Cardiff University and many other institutions.
Meanwhile, Krützen said when they realised the Batang Toru orangutans were morphologically different from all other orangutans, the pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
“The oldest evolutionary line in the genus Pongo is actually found in Batang Toru orangutans, which appear to be direct descendants of the first Sumatran population in the Sunda archipelago.
“Computer modelling reconstructed the population history of the three orangutan species, revealing that the Batang Toru apes have been isolated for 10,000 to 20,000 years.”
Another lecturer from Cardiff University Pablo Orozco-ter Wengel said the divergence between the Tapanuli orangutans and the other two orangutan species came as a surprise.
“It pushed the divergence between these species to as far as three million years ago, with the south of Toba orangutans being more similar to the Bornean orangutans, than to the north of Toba orangutans.”
“It’s exciting to describe a new great ape species in the 21st century... however, with such low numbers of the Batang Toru orangutans, it is vital that we now work to protect them. Mining, hunting, deforestation and human encroachment all risk the lives of these great apes.”
With no more than 800 individuals, the new species of orangutan is now considered the most endangered species of great apes on the planet.