Stories from North Sumatra · Indonesia

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred in the waters of West Sumatra, Indonesia.

An endangered Sumatran orangutan was filmed successfully using a canopy bridge to cross a road for the first time. The charity expressed relief following the successful event. The species is currently critically endangered due to illegal hunting and habitat loss. The bridge was constructed to mitigate the effects of a road that split the population into two. Experts previously expressed concerns that habitat fragmentation would lead to inbreeding and reduced survival chances. Habitat loss and illegal hunting remain primary threats to the species. The project aims to help the 350 orangutans in the area move freely through the landscape. Conservationists state there is a growing need to replicate these bridges where roads bisect forests. Wildlife expert Helen Bucklin noted that such bridges are essential for coexistence between humans and wildlife where roads bisect forests.