Just in case Facebook was running low on cute animals to share, a new breed of orangutan has been discovered in Northern Sumatra – but it’s already the world’s most endangered ape.
The world’s third orangutan species, Tapanuli Orangutan, was found near Sumatra’s Lake Toba. It’s their cinnamon-coloured, frizzy hair that sets our distance relatives apart from their cousins. It’s also part of what makes them so appealing to hunters.
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The Indonesian government currently plans on developing the tiny 1,000km area of Sumatra currently inhabited by the apes, replacing 8% of their jungle with a new hydrodam.
Thankfully there’s a glimmer of hope that we haven’t completely destroyed the Tapanuli Orangutan’s chance of survival. Indonesia’s Environment Ministry announced that it would send a team to the jungle in Batang Toru to ensure no future projects will endanger their habitat. They aim to create a conservation strategy and, potentially, protected forest areas and wildlife sanctuaries.
So we shouldn’t give up on the Tapanuli Orangutan just yet. After all, we do live in the age of orangutan Tinder.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.