Tapanuli orangutan, is the rarest great ape in the world with only around 800 of the primates are reminding. Tapanuli orangutan was discovered in 2017 and the first new great species to be discovered for almost a century.
Environmentalists are doing their best to protect the ape but the reason they are driven to extinction is caused by Jardine Matheson. A company that is a multinational conglomerate that comprises a group of companies with extensive operations across Asia and the world, and which owns the Mandarin Oriental hotel chain.
Tapanuli orangutan is found only in Batang Toru Ecosystem in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, which just so happens to sit on top of a gold mine being mined by Jardine Matheson, environmentalists are warning the animal is in grave danger.
Martabe was bought in 2018, Jardine Matheson has expanded it further and further into the habitat of the orangutan in the two years. The company has destroyed about 8.67 hectares of the forest since purchasing the mine in 2018 right a few months after they discovered the rarest orangutan species.
The Martabe mine also had a detrimental effect on the area, destroyed at least 27.38 hectares of Tanapuli orangutan forest habitat.
Mighty Earth, a non-governmental organization that has been investigating the destruction of the Martabe mine in recent months. They now are now calling on Jardine Matheson to stop any further destruction of the forest.
“I think this is an issue of corporate responsibility,” said campaign director Amanta Hurotwitz.
“You have a mine in the habitat of the most endangered species of great ape… If you are going to profit off this species you have a responsibility to take action to protect the species,” she added.
Lord Goldsmith, International Environment Minister, agrees, saying that the company has a ‘moral obligation’ to stop degrading the environment in such a manner.
He said, “The UK is taking real action to combat climate change, from our new proposed law to clamp down on illegal deforestation to doubling the UK’s International Climate Finance spend to help developing countries,”.
“British companies are success stories across the world, but with this comes a clear moral obligation to help protect the environment wherever they leave a footprint,” he added.
A spokesperson for Jardine Matheson disputed claims, saying the mine is operated by following the government guidelines and the local environmental laws.
The spokesperson said, “The mine has not encroached on areas categorized as protected forest and has been clear on its commitment to protecting biodiversity,” the spokesperson said.
8.67 hectares of the forest has been destroyed by the company since purchasing the mine equates to less than 1% of the area covered by the protected forest of Batang Toru.
Hurotwitz decides not to believe the company had done enough, saying that it needs to ‘work with scientists to mitigate the damage that has been done’.
Source: Unilad