In the province of North Sumatra, Indonesia, an upgraded road affected both humans and wildlife. It meant isolated villages would now have easy access to schools and health care, but it also widened the separation between two Sumatran orangutan habitats. Hoping to find a solution, the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) came up with an idea: a bridge for wildlife up in the trees. While bold in concept, it has given tangible results. For the first time ever, an orangutan has been caught on video using the manmade wildlife bridge.
The two habitats in question are in the Siranggas Wildlife Reserve from the Sikulaping Protection Forest, which house around 350 orangutans, among other animals. In addition to breaking up their homes, this separation put the species at risk. Habitat fragmentation leads to inbreeding, which can lead to poor health, putting these animals, which are already listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red list, closer to extinction.
That’s why the SOS was thrilled to share a clip of a young male orangutan using the bridge, as well as other forest dwellers, including two species of squirrels. It was key for orangutans to actually use it, as they spend pretty much all of their lives in trees, with females seldom touching the floor throughout their lives.
The organization explains that while other primates, such as gibbons and macaques, have previously been observed using the canopy bridges to cross the public road, this sighting confirms that the Sumatran orangutans can and will use canopy bridges to overcome the gap between the two ecosystems.
“For two years, we have watched and waited for this moment: an orangutan to use one of the canopy bridges to cross over the public road. This is it. The moment we have been patiently waiting for,” the SOS wrote on Facebook. “Seeing this young male orangutan confidently cross the road is a huge milestone for conservation—proving that it is possible to stitch fragmented forests back together.”
You can watch the historic moment in the video below.
For the first time ever, a Sumatran orangutan has been caught in video using a manmade wildlife bridge.
Sources: ‘Cries of delight’ as Sumatran orangutan filmed using canopy bridge to cross road for first time
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