A China-backed dam in Indonesia threatens a rare great ape – and that's just the tip of the iceberg

  • Written by: Divya Narain, PhD Candidate, The University of Queensland
A China-backed dam in Indonesia threatens a rare great ape – and that's just the tip of the iceberg James Askew/SOCP handout

In 2017, scientists described a new species of great apes – the Tapanuli orangutan. The species, found in the Batang Toru ecosystem of North Sumatara, Indonesia was listed as critically endangered soon after.

The population of the species has declined by 83% over the past 75 years, largely due to hunting and habitat...

Read more: A China-backed dam in Indonesia threatens a rare great ape – and that's just the tip of the iceberg