A Reduce Speed! Wildlife Crossing Bridge sign. (Sumatran Orangutan Society / TaHuKah via SWNS)
By Ben Barry
Footage shows an orangutan using a canopy bridge to cross a road in North Sumatra.
The video footage, which is a world-first conservation breakthrough, shows a critically endangered Sumatran orangutan using a canopy bridge to cross a public road in North Sumatra.
The Lagan-Pagindar road in Pakpak Bharat district of North Sumatra, Indonesia, provides essential access for remote communities, connecting them to schools, hospitals and other critical services.
However, it created a physical barrier for an estimated 350 Sumatran orangutans, splitting them into two subpopulations: the Siranggas Wildlife Reserve and the Sikulaping Protection Forest.
Erwin Alamsyah Siregar, executive director of TaHuKah, said: "The construction of the Lagan-Pagindar road provided essential infrastructure for local families, giving them access to healthcare and education."
When the road was upgraded in 2023, it widened the gap in the canopy, making natural crossing impossible for wildlife. A single population of orangutans became split in two. Without a way to reconnect, this put their future in jeopardy.
The footage filmed in December 2025, and seen by Sell Us Your Story, shows a young male orangutan carefully climbing onto the rope bridge and crossing high above the road below.
An orangutan using a canopy bridge to cross a road in North Sumatra. (Sumatran Orangutan Society / TaHuKah via SWNS)
Helen Buckland, chief executive of the Sumatran Orangutan Society, said: "For two years, we have watched and waited for this moment.
"Seeing this young male orangutan confidently cross the road using the canopy bridges is a huge milestone for conservation – proving that it is possible to stitch this fragmented landscape back together."
The canopy project is a collaboration between Sumatran Orangutan Society, TaHuKah and government partners, including North Sumatra Conservation Agency and North Sumatra Provincial Environment and Forestry Service.
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