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Indonesia comprises only 1.3 % of the earth's land surface yet it contains extraordinary biodiversity. It possesses 12% of all mammal species, 17% of all bird species and 10% of the world's flowering plant species. In size, Indonesia's forests rank third in the world behind Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The tropical forests of Indonesia are home to a wide range of well-known animals, including the Asian elephant, Sumatran Rhino, Sumatran Tiger and the Orangutan. The orangutan is found only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, like hundreds of other species in Indonesia, the orangutan is threatened with extinction. In 1900 there were approximately 315,000 wild orangutans; now there are probably less than 20,000. It is the rate at which orangutan numbers are declining that is extremely worrying. In Sumatra they are disappearing at a rate of 1000 individuals a year, in Borneo it could be higher. Orangutans are dependent
on trees for their existence. They are perfectly adapted for life in
the trees; they sleep in nests, feed predominantly on fruit and travel
through the forest canopy. However, this is a reciprocal relationship.
Orangutans have an important role in seed dispersal and they help to
open up the forest canopy allowing light to reach the forest floor which
helps to regenerate the forest. Orangutans are a vital cog in the workings
of the rainforest ecosystem The recent accelerated decline of the orangutan is highly correlated with habitat destruction. The World Bank stated that if this habitat destruction continues at its current rate then the lowland forest will be gone in Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, by 2010. Forests are being cleared and converted into palm oil plantations. Indonesia is the world's second largest producer of palm oil after Malaysia. Palm oil is particularly damaging because it is permanent. The incredible diversity of the primary rainforests is cleared to provide a mono-culture. A promising development by Switzerland's largest retail chain, Migros, does offer some hope. In January, Migros became the first European retailer to commit to source all of its palm oil from plantations that were not created by clearing primary tropical rain forest. Unfortunately Indonesia's National Parks, which are crucial for the conservation of the orangutan, are not immune from this logging. Illegal logging is rampant across Indonesia due to lack of government control and regional autonomy. Tanjung Puting National Park, Borneo, where the Orangutan Foundation is working, came under siege from illegal logging in 1998. We have been fighting it ever since. There are now organised and funded police patrols which have been successful in securing the northern sector of the Park, and we hope to extend these into other areas of the Park. We are trying to provide alternative employment for the local people through conservation work or eco-tourism. We have an education programme and are in the process of finishing our education centre. In 1998 The Orangutan Foundation in conjunction with the Ministry of Forestry founded the urgently needed Orangutan Care Centre for treatment and rehabilitation of confiscated orangutans. There are currently 170 infant and juvenile ex-captive orangutans in its rehabilitation and nursery programme. This stretches resources considerably since the Centre was only built to cater for up to 40 orangutans. The Orangutan foundation successfully lobbied the Indonesian Government for a 75,000 hectare expired logging concession called Lamandau. So far this year we have released 17 orangutans into this protected area.
If you wish to help, please contact: |
Mighty Banana, Turbo Island Studio, Ground Floor, 37 Jamaica Street, Stokes Croft, Bristol. Tel. 07866627052. E-mail: info@mightybanana.com |
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