Seven percent of species wiped out by a single storm

Cyclone Senyar, though a relatively weak storm by wind speed, unleashed devastating floods and landslides across Sumatra late last year, claiming at least 1,200 lives. Analysts suggest that decades of deforestation in the region likely exacerbated the storm's impact, contributing to the unexpected scale of destruction. The cyclone's fury was particularly brutal for the Tapanuli orangutan, a species already on the brink of extinction.

Thousands of hectares of the orangutan's habitat were obliterated by mudslides and debris, according to a recent study in Current Biology. The researchers noted that the landslides likely occurred without warning, leaving the apes with little chance to escape. The study estimates that around 60 Tapanuli orangutans, representing over seven percent of the entire population, died in the disaster. However, the lead author, Erik Meijaard, told CNN that the actual number could be as high as 120.

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With the species' slow reproduction and sensitivity, this single event constitutes a severe demographic shock with long-term consequences for its viability.

This single event has delivered a severe "demographic shock" to the Tapanuli orangutan, pushing the critically endangered species even closer to extinction. The species, with its slow reproductive rate and vulnerability, faces long-term consequences for its viability. The study underscores how extreme rainfall events can directly threaten the survival of great apes.

Researchers are now emphasizing the critical need to bolster protections for primate habitats and to integrate climate change considerations into conservation strategies. The Tapanuli orangutan, recognized as a distinct species only in 2017, is the most endangered of all great apes. Its survival is threatened by deforestation, palm oil plantations, poaching, illegal wildlife trade, and infrastructure development.

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But it may well be that up to 120 animals died during the landslides.