Abstract
Monitoring Orangutan Habitat at Tanjung Puting National Park, Indonesia Track: Parks and Natural Reserves Author(s): Birute Galdikas, Leslie Smith, Nancy Briggs The Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) has developed a local GIS program to support its conservation activities in Tanjung Puting National Park (TNTP). The program includes regular patrols to monitor and assess illegal activities that damage forest habitat inside the park. GPS is used to record past and present habitat disturbance as well as the presence or absence of orangutans. Field patrols have discovered new disturbances in the park including timber extraction and selective harvesting of tree resources such as bark and sap that can be sold in local markets. Patrol data also shows that orangutans are being pushed into more marginal habitats where nests are built in short secondary forest trees or on the ground. New orangutan nests were rarely found in areas of active human use or where forest patches were small, fragmented or heavily disturbed. Habitat assessments are being used for conservation planning and communication. Birute Galdikas Orangutan Foundation International 4201 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 407 Los Angeles , CA 90010 US Phone: 323-938-6046 E-mail: siswoyo@aol.com Leslie Smith Orangutan Foundation International 1004 Cypress Ln. Davis , CA 95616 US Phone: 530-757-7842 E-mail: leslie.ofi@gmail.com Nancy Briggs Long Beach State University 27746 PVDE Rolling Hills Estate Los Angeles , CA 90274 US Phone: 310-927-8626 E-mail: nebriggs@cox.net |
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