Indonesia coincides to protect orangutans from virus threats

Poaching and habitat loss have decimated the orangutan population in Indonesia, but now the corona virus has emerged as another potential fatal threat to the critically endangered species

While there are no confirmed cases of transmission from humans to fluffy haired apes, they share 97 percent of our DNA

And staff at a rehabilitation center in jungle-clad Borneo are taking no chances. The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation has closed its doors to visitors and instructed staff to take precautions to prevent transmission of infection, including by wearing masks and Protective gloves

“There are no confirmed cases of direct transmission, but it has caused other problems, such as a lack of masks and disinfectants for our orangutan carers,” said foundation veterinarian Agus Irwanto. However, for the monkeys, little has changed on their daily jungle excursions changed

“While the people in our rehabilitation centers are working hard to adapt to these new measures, the orangutans are doing their usual work,” says the foundation

The fear of human-to-human transmission is not limited to Indonesia

France is taking precautionary measures in its zoos, keeping keepers away from gorillas and chimpanzees. Last month, the densely wooded African nation of Gabon said it would no longer allow tourists to see their great apes for fear that humans could give them the virus

The Ebola epidemic killed gorillas and chimpanzees as well as humans.

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