Genes to Blame for Orang-utan Population Collapse
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A three year genetic study by wildlife geneticists from Cardiff School of Biosciences has shown a population collapse in the Bornean orang-utan.
The population of Borneo's orang-utan has declined up to one hundred-fold since the late 19th Century, coinciding with the arrival of colonial powers on the island of Borneo and accelerated timber extraction. The research is among the first to link species decline with colonial deforestation, as opposed to when humans first appeared in the region.
'This is the first time that an alarming and recent human related decline of a great ape population has been demonstrated using genetic data,' said Dr Benoît Goossens, Cardiff School of Biosciences.
A three year genetic study by wildlife geneticists from Cardiff School of Biosciences has shown a population collapse in the Bornean orang-utan.The population of Borneo's orang-utan has declined up to one hundred-fold since the late 19th Century, coinciding with the arrival of colonial powers on the island of Borneo and accelerated timber extraction. The research is among the first to link species decline with colonial deforestation, as opposed to when humans first appeared in the region.
'This is the first time that an alarming and recent human related decline of a great ape population has been demonstrated using genetic data,' said Dr Benoît Goossens, Cardiff School of Biosciences.
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