Tapanuli orangutans face mining, landslides, and fire threats — with no recovery plan

In June 2026, concerns over the future of the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) intensified as satellite imagery revealed ground disturbances within the mining concession of Indonesia's Martabe gold mine. Located in North Sumatra province, these disturbances appeared as swaths of treeless and disturbed earth on steep rainforest hills near the Ramba Joring pit. Experts believe these disturbances are likely the result of landslides associated with mine development.

The Tapanuli orangutan population is estimated to consist of 716 individuals, residing in three fragmented subpopulations, leaving the species with limited room for additional losses. Researchers have described this as one of the most severe ecological shocks ever documented for this rare great ape species.

Agincourt Resources, the operator of the Martabe mine, disputes the characterization of the disturbances as landslides, stating that the June disturbance was caused by material movement following blasting conducted within the mine's planned operational area. However, environmental organization Mighty Earth maintains that the disturbances are indeed linked to the ongoing mining activities.

Despite these ongoing threats, there is still no coordinated recovery strategy in place to protect the Tapanuli orangutans. The future survival of this critically endangered species now hangs in the balance as mining resumes, future development plans remain active, and a strong El Niño brings additional environmental challenges.