The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project

Working to protect and conserve the Sabangau peat-swamp forest since 1999.

The Sabangau forest in Indonesian Borneo is home to probably the largest population of Bornean agile gibbon: >30,000 individuals and home to the largest population of Bornean orang-utans: 6900 individuals.

Since 1996 the orang-utan population in Sabangau has declined by about 46% due to illegal logging and fires within the area. The spread of large-scale fires in 1997 from a combination of deforestation and the El Nino Southern Oscillation weather effect released carbon into the atmosphere equivalent to 1/3 of the world's total emissions in a year. These fires continued in 2002, 2006 and now 2009 releasing yet more carbon, destroying peat which took over 10,000 years to accumulate and threatening wildlife. The gibbons and orang-utans are also threatened by the illegal pet trade.

The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project (OuTrop) works to protect one of the most important areas of tropical rainforest in Borneo - the Sabangau Forest in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. We monitor the distribution, population status, behaviour and ecology of the forest's flagship ape species, carry out biodiversity and forestry research, and work with local partners to implement conservation solutions.

Our volunteer program is now firmly established and makes an important contribution to the protection of the Natural Laboratory and the wider Sabangau Forest. We provide an economic alternative to logging by employing staff, buying supplies and chartering boat transport from the local village. The program raises funds to support the Patrol Team, fight fires and carry out education and sustainable development projects. We provide our staff with training and education opportunities, sponsor local events and build CIMTROP's scientific and management capacity, for example by funding the development of their herbarium and improving facilities at camp to benefit a host of visiting researchers.

Our research program continues to go from strength-to-strength. The orangutan behaviour project has now collected 10,000 hours of focal-animal observations, making it one of the largest studies of its kind, and the results are not only useful for conservation purposes but are revealing many interesting discoveries on the behaviour, ecology, social structure and development of one of mankind's closest relatives. The gibbon behaviour project is remarkably successful and is collecting a wealth of new and interesting observations on a largely unknown species. With over 5000 hours of data the gibbon project is also one of the longest running studies of its kind, shedding light on the often ignored small ape. We have identified the Sabangau as critically important for many different species of plant and animal. The orangutan density monitoring project is the biggest, longitudinal study of changes and trends in orangutan density and we are making major advancements to the nest-survey method allowing us to estimate orangutan density more accurately than ever before. Between 2001 and 2007, 145 young scientists and students from eleven different countries have joined the volunteer program, and during this time research for 22 BSc dissertations and 13 Masters theses has been carried out on subjects as diverse as orangutan intestinal parasite loads and differences in gibbon great calls to studies of oil palm plantation expansion in Kalimantan and the use of natural forest products in the local economy.

The main focus of our research has always been to provide scientific data to support conservation. Our first objective was to describe the importance of the Sabangau and raise the region's profile - this has been very successful, with the Sabangau listed as one of the high-priority sites for orangutan conservation, and designated as a proposed National Park. Second, we wanted to see how illegal activities had affected the forest and its biodiversity, and whether the orangutan population was in good health. This also achieved, our aim now is to continually monitor the status of biodiversity in the forest: to identify problem areas, assess trends, provide feedback to the forest management agencies and to prove the success or otherwise of habitat management and protection activities. An integrated ecological monitoring and feedback system is repeatedly identified as crucial to the success of any protected-area anywhere in the world. We are now implementing a system of monitoring and feedback in the Sabangau Forest. During 2007-2009 we are setting up eight monitoring sites at which we are collecting baseline data on orangutan and gibbon density, and forest structure, diversity and integrity. These sites will then be visited and surveyed annually, allowing volunteers to spend many memorable days camping in the heart of the Sabangau jungle!

We continue to support committed organisations and individuals that develop local solutions for local problems. CIMTROP, their Patrol Team and YCI continue to prove that they can develop successful and cost-effective programs to tackle problems of habitat protection, poverty and sustainable development. We support them both through fund-raising and advice, and by providing high-quality scientific data to prove the success of their activities and highlight regions of need. We are working together to dam the illegal logging canals that drain the peat and endanger the stability of the peatland system.

Assoicated websites:

http://www.orangutantrop.com
http://www.outrop.blogspot.com

References
Campbell C, Andayani N, Cheyne SM, Pamungkas J, Manullang B, Usman F, Wedana M, Traylor-Holzer K, 2008. Indonesian Gibbon Conservation and Management Workshop Final Report. Apple Valley, MN, USA: IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group.

Cheyne SM, 2005. Re-introduction of captive-raised gibbons in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Reintroduction News 24:22-25.

Cheyne SM, 2007a. Effects of Meteorology, Astronomical Variables, Location and Human Disturbance on the Singing Apes: Hylobates albibarbis. American Journal of Primatology 40:1-7.

Cheyne SM, 2007b. Indonesian Gibbons - Hylobates albibarbis. In: All the World's Primates (Rowe N, ed). Charlestown RI: Pogonias Press Inc.

Cheyne SM, 2007c. The Role of Reintroduction in Gibbon Conservation: Opportunities and Challenges. In: The Gibbons: New Perspectives on Small Ape Socioecology and Population Biology (Lappan SM, Whittaker DL, Geissmann T, eds). New York: Springer.

Cheyne SM, 2008. Feeding ecology, food choice and diet characteristics of gibbons in a disturbed peat-swamp forest, Indonesia. In: 22nd Congress of the International Primatological Society (IPS) (Lee PC, Honess P, Buchanan-Smith H, MacLarnon A, Sellers WI, eds). Edinburgh, UK: Top Copy, Bristol; 342.

Cheyne SM, 2009a. Challenges and Opportunities of Primate Rehabilitation ñ Gibbons as a Case Study. In: Primate Conservation: Measuring and mitigating trade in primates (Nekaris KAI, Nijman V, Bruford M, Fa J, Godley B, eds): Endangered Species Research.

Cheyne SM, 2009b. Forest Fires in Indonesia. In: The Wanderer. Oxford.

Cheyne SM, 2009c. Studying Social Development and Cognitive Abilities in Gibbons (Hylobates spp): methods and applications. In: Primatology: Theories, Methods and Research. New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Cheyne SM, in press-a. Behavioural ecology and socio-biology of gibbons (Hylobates albibarbis) in a degraded peat-swamp forest.  (Supriatna J, Gursky SL, eds). Indonesian Primates.

Cheyne SM, in press-b. Gibbon locomotion research in situ ñ problems, possibilities and benefits for conservation. In: Primate Locomotion: Linking In Situ and Ex Situ Research (D'Ao˚t K, Vereecke EE, eds): Springer.

Cheyne SM, Chivers DJ, Sugardjito J, 2006. Wildlife Reintroduction: Considerations of Habitat Quality at the Release Site. BioMed Central Ecology http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6785/6/5.

Cheyne SM, Chivers DJ, Sugardjito J, 2007a. Covariation in the great calls of rehabilitant and wild gibbons Hylobates agilis albibarbis. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 55:201-207.

Cheyne SM, Harrison ME, Morrogh-Bernard H, 2005. Differences in Orang-utan and Gibbon Diets in the Sebangau National Park, Indonesia: Implications for Conservation. . In: Proceedings of the International Symposium and Workshop on ìRestoration and Wise Use of Tropical Peatland (Reiley JO, ed). Palangka Raya, Indonesia: CIMTROP; 100-103.

Cheyne SM, Thompson CJH, Phillips AC, Hill RMC, Limin SH, 2007b. Density and Population Estimate of Gibbons (Hylobates albibarbis) in the Sebangau Catchment, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Primates 49:50-56.

Harrison ME, Cheyne SM, Morrogh-Bernard H, Husson SJ, 2005. What can apes tell us about the health of their environment? A Preliminary Analysis of the use of orang-utans and gibbons as biological indicators of changes in habitat quality in tropical peat swamp forests. . In: Proceedings of the International Symposium and Workshop on ìRestoration and Wise Use of Tropical Peatlandî (Reiley JO, ed). Palangka Raya, Indonesia: CIMTROP; 104-109.

Harrison ME, Cheyne SM, Sulistiyanto Y, Rieley JO, 2007. Biological Effects Of Smoke From Dry-Season Fires In Non-Burnt Areas Of The Sabangau Peat-Swamp Forest, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. In: The International Symposium and Workshop on Tropical Peatland ìCarbon-Climate-Human Interactions ñ Carbon Pools, Fire, Mitigation, Restoration and Wise Useî. Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Husson S, Meijaard E, Singleton I, van Schaik C, Wich SA, 2003. The status of the orang-utan in Indonesia. Jakarta: Pre-PHVA Meeting; 33.

Lucas P, Gaskins J, Lowrey T, Harrison ME, Morrogh-Bernard H, Cheyne SM, Begley M, in press. To open but not be opened: material properties of a thick-shelled seed govern its survival. Nature Materials.

Morrogh-Bernard H, Husson S, Page SE, Rieley JO, 2003. Population status of the Bornean orang-utan (Pongo pygmaeus) in the Sebangau peat swamp forest, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biological Conservation 110:141-152.

Singleton I, Wich SA, Husson S, Stephens S, Utami Atmoko S, Leighton M, Rosen N, Traylor-Holzer K, Lacy R, Byers O, 2004. Orang-utan Population and Habitat Viability Analysis. Jakarta: Orangutan Foundation.

Struebig MJ, Harrison ME, Cheyne SM, Limin SH, 2007. Intensive hunting of large flying-foxes (Pteropus vampyrus natunae) in the Sebangau Catchment, Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. Oryx 41:1-4.