April 17, 2019

IUCN CALLS FOR A MORATORIUM ON PROJECTS IMPACTING THE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED TAPANULI ORANGUTAN

IUCN is deeply concerned about ongoing and new threats to the Critically Endangered Tapanuli orangutan in Sumatra, Indonesia. IUCN therefore calls for the development and adoption of a conservation management plan for the Tapanuli orangutan based on an independent, objective Population and Habitat Viability Assessment before any projects potentially impacting the species advance any further.

IUCN also calls for the establishment of connecting corridors between the three forest blocks to which the species is confined, by converting 8,077 hectares from the ‘Non-forest’ to the ‘Conservation Forest’ land use category. Until then, further development of projects with an impact on the habitat and viability of the Tapanuli orangutan should be put under a moratorium.

The Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis), described in 2017, is the first new great ape species to be discovered since the 1920s. Pongo tapanuliensis has evolved separately from other orangutan species for 670,000 years. Wholly confined to the Batang Toru Ecosystem, a mountainous tract of rainforest in the province of North Sumatra, it occupies an area of about 1,420 square kilometres. With an estimated population of fewer than 800, the Tapanuli orangutan is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. It is the rarest great ape species in the world. The relatively small population size makes the species especially vulnerable to extinction, as any loss of habitat or disturbance could make the population too small to remain viable.

Although large parts of the ecosystem are classified as ‘Protection Forest’, some critical sections of the Tapanuli orangutan’s range are still open to development, including energy infrastructure, mining and logging. Little is known about the Tapanuli orangutan’s life cycle and in particular its resilience to disturbance, and it is imperative that any activity that could potentially lead to the degradation of its habitat and direct threats to the population is carefully assessed and all measures taken to avoid any impact. Where knowledge of potential impacts is insufficient, the precautionary approach requires that impacts are studied and fully understood before any developments are licensed.

IUCN wishes to highlight that, with political will, conservation of great ape species is not only possible but can act as a major boost to local economies and livelihoods. There are several parallels between the situation facing the Tapanuli orangutan and the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) in Eastern Africa. Over two decades of proactive, community-based conservation has seen this sub-species of the Eastern Gorilla increase by at least 50%, and Rwanda alone is now generating USD 200 million annually from eco-tourism, a large proportion of which is built around gorilla trekking.

IUCN stands ready to support Indonesia’s government agencies and financial institutions committed to prevent the extinction of the Tapanuli orangutan.

https://www.iucn.org/news/secretariat/201904/iucn-calls-a-moratorium-projects-impacting-critically-endangered-tapanuli-orangutan

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April 15, 2019

ALOUISE’S FIRST DAY AT THE FOREST SCHOOL

Alouise is an orangutan who recently entered the Borneo COP orangutan rehabilitation center on March 9, 2019. After going through a quarantine period of two months and the results of his medical examinations were good, Alouise was finally scheduled to enter the forest school class.

This was the first day Alouise entered the Borneo COP forest school. Early in the morning there was the first challenge. “Bringing out Alouise from her cage is not an easy thing. He is still wild and always bites when held. The struggle of the three animal keepers in 15 minutes is quite sweaty. This morning is just the beginning, “said Jhonny.

Alouise’s fear was still visible, all the way to jungle school, he hugged tightly, very tightly. Slowly orangutan Annie approached him when Alouise arrived at the forest school. Annie tugged him, invited him to play but Alouise got more afraid and embraced Herlina.

When Annie was a bit slack, Alouise suddenly held on to the tree and climbed it. Alouise climbed quickly without looking down again, and stopped at a height of 25 meters. “It’s a pleasure to see Alouise climb his first 25 meters,” Herlina said. “But how do we take him down?” She said again anxiously.

As the afternoon approached, Alouise still didn’t want to come down. The sky is very cloudy, the rain will come down soon. Nearly an hour we waited, finally with a papaya bait, Alouise climbed down. “Thank God, I don’t have to climb the tree,” Jhonny said again. (EBO)

HARI PERTAMA ALOUISE DI SEKOLAH HUTAN

Alouise adalah orangutan yang baru saja masuk pusat rehabilitasi orangutan COP Borneo pada 9 Maret 2019. Setelah melalui masa karantina selama dua bulan dan hasil pemeriksaan Alouise yang baik akhirnya Alouise dijadwalkan untuk masuk kelas sekolah hutan. 

Ini adalah hari pertama Alouise masuk sekolah hutan COP Borneo. Pagi-pagi sudah dapat tantangan pertama. “Membawa keluar Alouise dari kandang karantinanya bukanlah hal yang mudah. Dia itu masih liar dan selalu menggigit jika dipegang. Perjuangan tiga orang animal keeper di 15 menit yang cukup berkeringat. Pagi ini baru awal.”, ujar Jhonny.

Ketakutan Alouise masih terlihat, sepanjang perjalanan ke sekolah hutan, dia memeluk erat, sangat erat. Perlahan orangutan Annie mendekatinya saat Alouise tiba di sekolah hutan. Annie pun menarik-nariknya, mengajaknya bermain namun rasa takutnya semakin memeluk erat Herlina. 

Saat Annie lengah, tiba-tiba Alouise berpegangan pada pohon dan memanjatnya. Alouise memanjat dengan cepat tanpa melihat ke bawah lagi, dan berhenti di ketinggian 25 meter. “Senang sekali melihat Alouise memanjat 25 meter pertamanya.”, ujar Herlina. “Tapi bagaimana kami membawanya turun?” ujarnya lagi dengan was-was. 

Saat sore menjelang, Alouise belum mau turun. Langit mendung sekali, hujan akan segera turun. Hampir satu jam kami menunggu, akhirnya dengan pancingan buah pepaya, akhirnya Alouise pun turun. “Syukurlah ngak mesti manjat pohon .”, ujar Jhonny lagi. (WET)

 

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April 13, 2019

APE DEFENDER TAKES CARE OF A GIBBON’S WOUND

This male gibbon has been in the cage of BKSDA SKW I Berau for almost two years. Surprising reports of increasing injuries in his left thigh area made the COP Borneo medical team immediately adjust the schedule of visits. Friday night, April 12, 2019 the APE Defender team examined the gibbon.

From the results of the interim examination, the following day vet Satria anesthetized the gibbon and began cleaning the wound. Many tissues experience necrosis and there is no external bleeding. The wound starts to rot and the peculiar smell of pus indicates that the infection has sharply smelled. The left thigh wound is finally operated on minor to cover the wound. While the wound in the buttocks is treated because it does not allow for surgery.

After evaluating the position of the cage that is too close to the bear cage, the gibbon cage is finally removed under the sapodilla tree but still gets sunlight to avoid humidity at the cage so the wounds are always dry. (EBO)

APE DEFENDER MERAWAT LUKA OWA

Owa jantan ini sudah hampir dua tahun berada kandang BKSDA SKW I Berau. Laporan mengejutkan adanya luka yang semakin besar di daerah paha kirinya membuat tim medis COP Borneo segera menyesuaikan jadwal kunjungan. Jumat malam, 12 April 2019 tim APE Defender memeriksa Owa tersebut.

Dari hasil pemeriksaan sementara, keesokan harinya drh. Satria membius Owa dan mulai membersihkan luka yang sudah cukup lama. Banyak jaringan yang mengalami nekrosis dan sudah tidak terdapat pendarahan eksternal. Luka mulai membusuk dan bau khas nanah yang menandakan sudah terjadi infeksi tercium dengan tajam. Luka di paha kiri akhirnya dioperasi minor untuk menutup luka. Sementara luka di bagian pantat dirawat karena tidak memungkinkan untuk dioperasi. 

Setelah mengevaluasi posisi kandang yang terlalu dekat dengan kandang beruang, kandang owa akhirnya dipindahkan di bawah pohon sawo namun masih mendapat sinar matahari untuk menghindari kandang lembab dan luka dapat cepat kering. Mohon doanya ya… agar Owa bisa pulih.

 

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