The Borneo Orangutan is now a Critically Endangered species. New studies have found.
The study was done by the International Union For Conservation(IUCN). Who document species from all over the world.
The IUCN said that the Borneo Orangutan (Pongo Pygmaeus) have an ''extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.''
They went on to say in their published paper about the Orangutan that:
“This is full acknowledgement of what has been clear for a long time: orangutan conservation is failing,”
There are several reasons why the Borneo Orangutan is now Critically Endangered. Mostly, they have became endangered through hunting and habitat erosion.
Habitat erosion is the main driving force behind the species decline. It is happening through logging, both illegal and legal. But also through forest fires being started deliberately, to clear the land. Which has led to 59% of the forests not being suitable for the Orangutans.
The IUCN found that there would be an 86% decline in the Borneo Orangutan by the year 2025.
Orangutans now face a real threat of extinction in our life time. It is estimated that there are now only around 45,000 Borneo Orangutans left in the wild.
Written and researched by Jennifer |