header: Orang-utan
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line Pongo pygmaeus (Hoppius, 1763)


CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Asian Primate Action Plan: Produced in 1987 by the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group, the Action Plan identifies conservation measures needed to ensure the survival of the orang-utan in the wild.6 Suggested requirements incl uded: conservation of Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra; surveys to determine the distribution and abundance of all the primate species that are present within the Park; development of a conservation public awareness programme; extension of the Lanjak- Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, Sarawak; and the creation of Batang Ali National Park. For Sabah the Action Plan recommends surveys of protected areas and of the interior, and investigation of the effects of logging on orang-utan populations. The Action Plan is due to be updated and revised in the near future.2

Orang-utan Population and Habitat Viability Analysis (PHVA) Workshop: Held in Medan, Sumatra, during January 1993, the Workshop recommended that the following measures were undertaken to conserve the orang-utan: forested lowland areas should be add ed to Greater Leuser National Park wherever possible (lowland and swamp forests are optimum orang-utan habitats); the connection between the western and eastern populations in the Park should be restored in order to create a larger unit and minimize genet ic erosion; refrain from building roads that dissect the Park; and maintain an absolute commitment to protection of the Park, establishing buffer zones wherever possible. For Borneo, protection of existing national parks and reserves required improvement: at least 60% of the present orang-utan population of Borneo could be protected by enforcing legislation. Logging and habitat degradation should be banned in parks and proposed conservation areas and funding should be obtained for boundary demarcation.16

The Borneo Orang-utan Working Group gave recommendations at the PHVA Workshop for reintroduction of orang-utans into forests without wild orang-utans (if possible) to protect/conserve worthwhile forests (production or protection forests).16

Rehabilitation Centres: Work is continuing at three Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centres where captive individuals are re-introduced to the wild, namely Tanjung Puting Rehabilitation Centre in Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan, Indonesia; Sepil ok Rehabilitation Centre in Sepilok Virgin Jungle Reserve in Sabah, east Malaysia; and Bohorok Rehabilitation Centre in Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia. The research station at Tanjung Puting is the site of the world's only long-term ora ng-utan research programme. It has carried out orang-utan and other primate research; primate rehabilitation; student training; and conservation education of the local population.6

In Sabah, 74 orang-utans living in the forests being cleared for agriculture have been translocated by the Wildlife Department to Tabin Wildlife Reserve.23

Malaysia: WWF Malaysia is undertaking work in the proposed Kinabatangan National Park, home to orang-utans (Project MY 0073: Land-Use Management Plan for Kinabatangan, Sabah). The Project is in its initial stages and is conducting a floristic surv ey of the area. In 1997, WWF is helping undertake work in the floodplain of the proposed Kinabatangan National Park in East Sabah, where orang-utans also occur. The three-year project is in an early stage and will begin by assisting in development of a management plan for present and future land for the park. Preparatory studies will incorporate land capability assessments, site and species surveys, participatory planning with communities, and appropriate awareness and training programmes.24

Indonesia: WWF's broad-based project in Gunung Leuser includes assistance to development of park infra-structure and work with local communities living around the park. WWF is also assisting the Indonesian Government in establishing the Bentuang K arimum Nature Reserve in the remote region of northern West Kalimantan on the border with the Malaysian state of Sarawak.24

Trade Regulation: At the 65th Meeting of the SSC in Perth, Australia in 1990, the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group introduced a resolution calling for strict law enforcement in Asian countries to end the illegal traffic in orang-utans.1 This resolution was brought before the IUCN 18th General Assembly and was passed without amendments (Resolution 18/78 Orang-utans).1

Other Projects: During 1994, an international conference entitled, Orang-utans: The Neglected Ape was held at California State University, USA. More than 300 people attended the conference which included sessions on genetics, reproduction, social behaviour, cognition and a number of issues in captive management.19 Orangutan Foundation International organized "The Great Apes of the World Conference" which was held in Jakarta, Java and in Kalimantan in December 1991.13


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