Gold miners breach Indonesian orangutan sanctuary, damaging 14 hectares
The Jantho forest reservation in Indonesia, vital for orangutan rehabilitation, is under siege from illegal gold miners. This encroachment places the habitat of critically endangered Sumatran orangutans, rescued from illegal trade, at severe risk. Mining activities have already destroyed approximately fourteen hectares, while toxic runoff threatens the surrounding Krueng Aceh River, endangering…
Illegal gold miners have breached Indonesia's Jantho forest reservation, a crucial site for reintroducing critically endangered Sumatran orangutans. The Jantho Nature Reserve, established by the Indonesian government more than a decade ago, has released nearly 200 orangutans since 2011, making it one of the country's successful release sites for the vulnerable apes.
However, recent analysis by the Indonesian Forum for the Environment revealed that approximately 14 hectares of the reserve have been damaged by illegal mining activities between 2023 and May 2026. Gold prices have surged, driven by global demand as investors seek to protect wealth from inflation and geopolitical instability, such as tensions between the U.S. and Russia.
The mining surge has put biodiversity at risk, threatening the orangutans' habitat and the life they need to reproduce and establish self-sustaining wild populations.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
