Scare: almost 150,000 orangutans disappeared on Borneo

- The fact that things are going badly with the orangutan on Borneo was already known. But nature conservationists are quite startled, now that the number of orangutans on this island has been halved in the past sixteen years.

In total, almost 150,000 of this type of mana have disappeared since the turn of the century. In addition to the main cause- deforestation for the construction of oil palm plantations- it appears that the hunting of these beautiful great apes plays a major role. That was new for the researchers, who write more about this in the magazine Current Biology.

It is estimated that there are still about 100,000 orangutans on Borneo, a large island that lies between the peninsula of Malaysia and the northern islands of Indonesia.

'We estimate that about 1500 to 2500 orangutans are killed by people every year. If hunters encounter them, they will be shot. They are being eaten ', says naturalist Erik Meijaard.

Farmers also sometimes shoot orangutans from their fruit trees to protect their merchandise. 'The orangutans lose their natural habitat through deforestation. Then they hang in the plantations in the fruit trees. Farmers do not like that, so they shoot at the monkeys. Because that fruit is their merchandise. '

More information among the local population could be one of the solutions. Something must also be done about deforestation. Without additional measures, another 45,000 orangutans would disappear in the next 35 years, the scientists predict.