There is only one place left on Earth where Sumatran orangutans, elephants, tigers and rhinoceros coexist together in the wild: the Leuser Ecosystem on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. Spanning the two provinces of Aceh (where 80% of the Ecosystem lies) and North Sumatra, and an incredible 2.6 million hectares it is the largest rainforest ecosystem conservation area in Southeast Asia. It is one of the most biodiverse environments ever described and millions of people depend on it for food, water and livelihoods. The Leuser Ecosystem is important for everyone, all over the world: it stores millions of tons of carbon in its rich peatland forests, helping to regulate global climate. The Leuser Ecosystem is often called 'the lungs of the Earth' and when you look at a map it's easy to see why. 

The megafauna within this landscape is Critically Endangered. Over 85% of the remaining Sumatran orangutans call the Leuser Ecosystem home and one of the last viable populations of Sumatran tigers live here. With fewer than 80 individuals left, the Sumatran rhino exists mostly in the Leuser Ecosystem, and it is also one of the few remaining habitats left for Sumatran elephants. 

Read more HERE about the importance of and threats to the Leuser Ecosystem.

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