Anthropological Institute & Museum

Research Interests

I am interested in the phylogeography, history and structure of wild orang-utan populations in Sumatra, Indonesia. My research has primarily a conservation background, since the Sumatran orang-utan (Pongo abelii) is a highly endangered great-ape species. The number of individuals as well as the geographic distribution has dramatically shrunk during the recent decades. Forrest logging is assumed to be the main reason for this decline. Habitat degradation has split many bigger populations into small groups of only few dozens individuals. The blocking of migration and therefore gene flow is likely to have severe consequences for the genetic diversity and population persistence in the next few decades. Unfortunately, large-scale genetic studies incorporating all remaining orang-utan populations are missing. It is therefore impossible to make estimates on future population developments and to implement efficient measures for the holistic conservation of Sumatran orang-utans. The goals of my research are the following: