Moments of joy: Sumatran orangutan filmed on canopy bridge
The animal overcame fragmentation of his habitat, giving new hope for the species in the area.
Credit: Sumatran Orangutan Society / TaHuKah
For the first time, a Sumatran orangutan has been caught on camera crossing a road using a canopy bridge in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The species is critically endangered, and changes to its environment have meant that experts have been waiting two years for this moment: the canopy bridge was built in 2024, over a road that was providing an essential route for locals – but fragmented the animals' habitat.
The 10 metre-long rope bridge is placed above the Lagan-Pagindar road, which serves as a connector between remote communities and vital services such as schools and hospitals. While crucial for the humans in the area, the road acts as an obstacle for the movement of the approximately 350 Sumatran orangutans who can be found locally. Without the animals being able to cross the bridge, their population in the area was split in two. If divided into small groups, the animals' population risks being weakened by inbreeding, which would set them on the path to extinction. This is the first time a member of this species has been seen using the bridge, alleviating the worries of experts who predicted functional extinction if the animals were confined to just one part of the forest.
Canopy bridges represent a chance for local animals to better move about the environment, offering tree-dwelling species access to parts of forests that would otherwise have been disrupted by human activity. The Sumatran Orangutan Society and its local partners Tangguh Hutan Khatulistiwa (TaHuKah) who worked on this canopy bridge have been waiting for years, observing footage from the bridge in the hope that the animals would adapt – so news of the young male being spotted on the bridge led to widespread delight.
"For two years, we have watched and waited for this moment. Seeing this young male orangutan confidently cross the road using the canopy bridges is a huge milestone for conservation,” says Helen Buckland, Chief Executive of the Sumatran Orangutang Society.
Other animals have already used the bridge – black Sumatran langurs, agile gibbons, long-tailed macaques, and giant black squirrels are among those who have crossed. But for the Sumatran orangutan, this is a long-awaited first. “These canopy bridges demonstrate that human development and wildlife don't have to be at odds,” Buckland says. “Sometimes, the simplest solutions are the most effective.”
Three species of orangutan exist, all classed as critically endangered. Sumatran orangutans are only found on Sumatra and the nearby island of Borneo, with around 14,000 individuals existing in total. These animals spend most of their time in tree canopies and have been known to use tools, as well as make them themselves – in fact, they have also been seen building bridges by bending and breaking branches. They make “gloves” for themselves from leaves to protect their hands and feet when foraging, and can modify their communication to make themselves sound larger in stressful situations when protection is needed. They also have a good memory, making a mental map of different ways to get around their habitat – so chances are, the first orangutan who crossed this bridge will not be the last.
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