Malaysia: Twin threats to orang utan

Kristy Inus New Straits Times 24 Nov 12;

STUDY FINDINGS: Scientists say climate change, deforestation affect species' genetic pool

KOTA KINABALU: A RECENT scientific study has suggested that the dwindling numbers of orang utan in Borneo and the way the animal behaves have been affected by deforestation activities as well as pre-historic events like climate change.

In learning from the past, it highlighted the need to expand conservation measures to ensure no further drop in population.

The study was done by a team of scientists from various institutes in Portugal, Switzerland, France, Britain and Sabah's Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) between the years 2000 and 2012.

The paper, which used samples collected in six different study sites in Sabah and Kalimantan, was published in the journal PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science) last week.

The study found the Bornean orang utan experienced major changes and faced extinction since 2.5 million years ago due to climate change as well as the arrival of farmers. The recent threat comes from commercially-driven habitat loss and fragmentation.

DGFC director Dr Benoit Goossens, co-author of the paper, said these results did not mean that recent forest exploitation did not leave its genetic mark on orang utan.

They hinted that older events also played a part in affecting the species genetic pool, he said.

Lead author Dr Reeta Sharma warned that recent forest fragmentation affected the genetic variability among the remaining population of orang utan.

Genetic variability in a population is important for biodiversity, because without it, it becomes difficult for a population to adapt to environmental changes, making it more prone to extinction.

Goossens said this called for stronger measures to prevent further drop in population.

"We need to expand conservation measures, such as protection of private land to connect the existing protected forest lots, corridor establishment, wildlife monitoring and law enforcement."

He added that this was also emphasised by state Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, who had asked for a moratorium on any new land development in the Kinabatangan floodplain.

Return of the orang utan
Muguntan Vanar The Star 26 Nov 12;

KOTA KINABALU: The orang utan population in totally protected areas (TPAs) in Sabah's Lower Kinabatan-gan has risen by 20% with the increase in the number of protected forests, said a conservationist.

“The increasing population reflects a commitment by all, especially the state government, to protect more forest areas,” said orang utan conservationist Dr Marc Ancrenaz.

The latest good news came in the wake of a recent scientific study published in the PLOS ONE journal by a team of experts, who found that the Borneo orang utan began experiencing a major demographic decline between 200 and 2,000 years ago.

However, Dr Ancrenaz, who is co-director of the Hutan-Kinabatangan Orang Utan Conservation Programme (Hutan-KOCP), did not disclose the number of orang utan within the totally protected forest areas.

The Sabah Forestry Department had recently increased the acreage under its totally protected forest reserves to further help in the conservation of orang utan and other species, such as the Borneo pygmy elephant, the Sunda clouded leopard, sunbear, hornbills and others.

“The areas recently re-gazetted as Class I (totally protected forest reserve) are lowland forests, which are favoured for agriculture development.

“But the state government has shown that it places more value on environmental security in the long term by making them TPAs instead of going for short-term profits,” said Dr Ancrenaz, a wildlife veterinarian who has been working on wildlife issues in Sabah since 1998.

In a statement, primotologist Dr Isabelle Lackman, who is a co-director Hutan-KOCP, said the biggest issue for orang utan conservation in Sabah remained the problem of isolation and fragmentation of protected forests.

“While the Kinabatangan area has been protected by the Sabah Wildlife Department since its gazettement in 2005, the sanctuary is very broken up with some forests being totally isolated.

“This is not healthy for the long-term survival of orang utan in the area,” said Dr Lackman.