A. Species
Scientific name: Pongo abelii
Common name(s): Sumatran Orangutan
Global IUCN Red List Threat Status: Critically Endangered
B. Location of use
Geographic location(s):
- Sumatera
Country/Region: Indonesia / Sumatra
C. Scale of assessment
Scale of assessment: National Level
Name/Details of location: Sumatra
D. Timescale of use
Start Year: 1973
End Year: 2008
E. Information about the use
How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Type of use: Extractive
Practice of use: Hunting and/or Trapping of live terrestrial and aerial animals
Lethal or non-lethal: Non-Lethal
Does this use involve take/extraction of: The whole entire organism
Purpose(s) of end use: Keeping/companionship/display
Motivation of use: Income generation from trade (individual/household/community) and Largescale commercial exploitation for trade
Is this use legal or illegal?: Illegal under national law
F. Information about the Users
Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: Local people
G. Information about the sustainability of use
Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: The study combines data from several actions plans on orangutan population size.
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: These data show that numbers of orangutans, as well as the estimated amount of forest inhabited by orangutans in Sumatra has seen a steady decline over the last 15 years or so, from almost 10,000 in 1993 to 5,500 in 2007.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: This study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: The study explains that despite considerable efforts by the government and by NGOs, and substantial financial investment to conservation of wildlife in Sumatra, there are few indications that there has been any decrease in trade in gibbons and orangutans over the period 1973-2008. Although trade appears to be less open than before, the number of individuals observed in zoos (including newly acquired individuals) and those taken in by various rescue centres in Sumatra and elsewhere, suggest trade is still very much threatening the survival of these apes.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: This study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: The study explains that despite considerable efforts by the government and by NGOs, and substantial financial investment to conservation of wildlife in Sumatra, there are few indications that there has been any decrease in trade in gibbons and orangutans over the period 1973-2008. Although trade appears to be less open than before, the number of individuals observed in zoos (including newly acquired individuals) and those taken in by various rescue centres in Sumatra and elsewhere, suggest trade is still very much threatening the survival of these apes.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?: No, sustainability not determined
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: This study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: The study mentions that due to their intelligence and social system, these apes suffer immensely through capture, trade and captivity, especially in poorly designed facilities.
Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species
In addition to promulgating the recommendations of TRAFFIC, this report specifically states that efforts over previous decades to control people from purchasing and keeping wild-caught gibbons and orang-utans have largely proved to be ineffective. It needs to be communicated clearly that keeping protected species as pets is not an option, and this is best achieved by a bold and innovative approach. Offenders who break wildlife laws, and especially those that violate these laws with respect to orangutans or gibbons, should be brought to justice, and whether or not this is successful or not, needs to be publicised. The law-enforcement hierarchy needs to persuade officials to prosecute and convict offenders. Due attention needs to be given towards devising incentives for law enforcers to carry out their duties with greater efficiency.
Record source
Information about the record source: grey_lit
Date of publication/issue/production: 2009-01-01T00:00:00+0000
Source Reference(s):
Date of record entry: 2022-11-30