The world's densest population of orangutans is set to be
"extinguished" by a massive new wave of fires that is clearing
large tracts of a peat swamp forest in the Indonesian island of
Sumatra, conservationists have warned. Environmentalists claim
that satellite images show a huge surge in forest blazes across
the Tripa peat swamp in order to create palm oil plantations,
including areas that have not been permitted for clearing. Tripa
is home to a tight-knit enclave of around 200 critically
endangered orangutans. However, this number has plummeted from
an estimated population of 3,000. Just 7,000 orangutans remain
in Sumatra, with rampant forest clearing for palm oil
cultivation blamed for their decline. Ian Singleton, head of the
Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP), said that the
Tripa orangutans are being "extinguished." "The situation is
indeed extremely dire," he said. "Every time I have visited
Tripa in the last 12 months I have found several orangutans
hanging on for their very survival, ri