How did an Indian zoo get the world's most endangered great ape? By Sara HUSSEINBangkok (AFP) Sept 19, 2025Tapanuli orangutans are the world's most endangered great ape. - 'Surprised and shocked' -Trade in the world's most endangered species is prohibited by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). A conservationist for more than two decades, Panut said he was "surprised and shocked" to learn from AFP about Vantara's tapanuli orangutan. In public documents, CITES has acknowledged receiving "multiple reports" about imports of endangered animals into India.