🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Mountain forests play a critical role in regulating freshwater systems.
The Batang Toru ecosystem functions as an important watershed in North Sumatra. Intact forest cover regulates water flow, reduces erosion, and maintains water quality. Tapanuli orangutans depend on this forest structure for food and shelter. When forest is cleared or fragmented, watershed stability declines. Soil erosion increases sediment in rivers, affecting downstream communities. Thus, conserving orangutan habitat also safeguards human water resources. Fewer than 800 apes remain, yet their forest home supports far larger human populations. Biodiversity protection intersects directly with ecosystem services.
💥 Impact (click to read)
The scale contrast is striking: hundreds of apes influence water systems serving thousands of people. Forest conservation becomes both ecological and economic. Degraded watersheds can increase flooding and infrastructure damage. Protecting canopy continuity stabilizes slopes and stream flow. The species’ habitat underpins regional resilience.
This linkage reframes conservation from species-only protection to integrated landscape management. Safeguarding the Tapanuli orangutan also maintains vital ecosystem services. The fate of a rare great ape and human well-being converge in one mountain forest. Extinction would not only remove a species, but weaken watershed integrity. The connection runs deeper than biodiversity alone.
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