Illegal deforestation in Indonesia’s Rawa Singkil Wildlife Reserve has hit unprecedented levels, with 2,577 hectares of forest cleared since 2015, primarily between 2021 and 2023, according to a new report by the Rainforest Action Network (RAN). This situation endangers critically threatened species like the Sumatran orangutan and risks violating the upcoming anti-deforestation regulations of the European Union.

RAN’s report indicates that the destruction is driven by local elites rather than smallholders, as they sell land for palm oil plantations. The illegal palm oil is infiltrating global supply chains, involving major brands such as Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Procter & Gamble. Although some companies have suspended sourcing from the involved suppliers, conservationists insist that stronger collective action is essential to safeguard the UNESCO-listed Leuser Ecosystem, which includes the reserve.

The report advocates for a landscape-level intervention, calling on brands, traders, and governments to collaborate on no-deforestation commitments. Conservationists stress that only a united effort can halt the escalating crisis in one of the planet's most biodiverse areas.