This posters free to use, if you want original size please contact swaraowa or Malinggai Uma, other educative posters wildlife of mentawai ( birds, amphibian and reptile, butterfly, and dragonfly) also can be download from this link.
the 3rd Mentawai Cultural School Teacher Trainig : Observation Results and Impressions
by Imam Taufiqurrahman
field practice wildlife observation in the field
On the second and third days of training, the participants were invited to make observations in the forest around Toloulaggo Hamlet. Participants were divided into three teams, each of which was provided with various equipment and supplies, such as observation data sheets and binoculars.
On the first day, each team recorded encounters with various species of birds. Some of them are hillminah, limendeu , and rotdot ( in local name). Although none of the team encountered primates directly, they enthusiastically observed the various other biodiversity they encountered. Various types of orchids, mushrooms and medicinal plants cannot escape observation.
The participants were also able to record activities encountered in the forest. As part of an assignment for citizen journalism material, the team discovered that trees had been cut down. The findings were obtained, both from the location of logging marks and the loud sound of a chainsaw that was heard during the observation session.
presentation of partcipants on their field observation and session discussion
All findings and observations became the focus of each group’s presentation. This presentation session took place in the evening and was quite lively with questions and answers between the participants.
On the second day, the committee directed the team to a different area. Unfortunately, the observation could only be carried out for a short time because of the heavy rain. However, luck was on Team 2’s side. During that short observation, they were able to find a group of Joja, mentawai langur ( Presbytis siberu). Its existence is only found on Siberut Island. Taxonomically, it is different from its close relatives on the other three Mentawai islands, Sipora, North Pagai, and South Pagai. On these three islands, there is Presbytis potenziani, known as atapaipai.
Both of these species are classified as endangered species. Joja is included in the Endangered or Critical category, while Ataipaipai has an even more serious threat status, namely Critically Endangered or Critical.
Testimonial of participants
Julianus, a Biology teacher at Lentera High School, South Siberut, admitted that he was not satisfied with the course of the training, because he and his team had not managed to see any primates. Julianus hopes that in the future there will be a more focused observation route and have a high chance of encountering primates.
However, Theresia Yuni conveyed a different impression. “I am quite satisfied because I can see directly the presence of primates in their habitat,” admitted the principal of SDN 05 Toloulaggo. It was he and his four team members who managed to find Joja.
Naturally, Yuni felt quite satisfied. He was really lucky, considering that observation was his first experience. “I’ve lived here for ten years, and this is my first time in the Toloulaggo forest,” he admitted.
Meanwhile, Fransiskus Yanuarius Mendrofa from the Mentawai Cultural Education Foundation (YPBM), gave an insight into the difficulty of the participants encountering primates. According to him, this is a real form of threat to Mentawai primates. He also hopes that the participants can become primate ambassadors, bringing experience and knowledge during training to the school community, especially to students or students.
In the closing session, Jeremias Saleuru, a community leader who was present, also shared his experiences. He told a story about when he was still hunting primates. According to Jeremias, he doesn’t always succeed in getting game animals. Many factors could be the cause. “Maybe the weather is not good or there is interference,” he explained. One of the disturbances was the sound of a chainsaw, which the participants heard during the observation.
Despite the dissatisfaction of most participants because they were unable to meet primates, the three-day training in Toloulaggo certainly gave the participants direct experience in animal observation activities. Activities can run according to the theme, Still arepi sabbat still pa’ ugai mateikeccat, uma’, sibabara kabagat leleu Toloulaggo. This sentence means, “Listen to and introduce the existence of primates and birds in the Toloulaggo region.”
the 3rd Mentawai Cultural School Teacher Training
by Imam Taufiqurrahman
group photos with Participants and organizer team
The 3rd Mentawai Cultural School Teacher and Facilitator Training has been carried out according to the agenda. Taking place on March 28-30 2023, this primate and bird introduction event was held in Toloulaggo Hamlet, Katurai Village, Southwest Siberut District, as was held in the previous year.
A total of 16 participants took part in this activity organized by Malinggai Uma and Siripok Bilou. The participants were representatives of Mentawai (Bumen) Biology and Culture teachers, at elementary, middle and high school levels, in South Siberut and Southwest Siberut.
Apart from teachers, the training was also attended by facilitator Malinggai Uma. There are also representatives of two institutions in South Siberut, namely the Mentawai Cultural Education Foundation and the Tourism Information Center.
Mentawai traditional dance, performed gibbons ( bilou) stories, at the opening ceremony
The Head of Katurai Village, Karlo Saumanuk, was present and officially opened the event. In his speech, Karlo thanked him for organizing the activities in his village. He also advised, “Hopefully this training can be a momentum to increase the capacity and knowledge of teachers,” he said, “to later be conveyed to students at school.”
To the organizers, Karlo advised that the activities could have more impact on society. “Maybe in the future the focus will not only be on teachers, but perhaps on parents or parties who are active in the forest,” he asked. “So, there needs to be a balance.”
The opening which took place at the village hall invited representatives from local government elements and related agencies. Some of those present, for example the Head of Toloulaggo Hamlet, the Education Office, the Village Consultative Body (BPD), and the Tourism Office. The invitees also gave welcoming speeches.
The opening ceremony was enlivened by turuk laggai. This typical Mentawai traditional dance depicts the behavior of animals in the forest. The stomping of the dancers’ feet accompanied by the accompaniment of the beat of musical instruments sounded so harmonious. The dances performed in two sessions were able to attract the attention of many children and the local community.
After the opening, the activity continued with a room material session. There are three lectures, with the first two relating to animals. Both materials were delivered by representatives of the SwaraOwa Foundation.
The first material, namely the conservation and cultural value of birds in the Mentawai Islands, was explained by Imam Taufiqurrahman. Next, Kurnia Ahmadin gave an introduction to primate observation techniques. The final material was in the form of the ins and outs of citizen journalism delivered by Tempo journalist Febriyanti.
Classroom session by Febrianti, local journalist, presenting citizen journalism for conservation and education
The discussions and questions and answers were interesting. Most participants admitted that they did not know much about the biodiversity in the Mentawai Islands. The existence of animals, especially primates and birds, is not specifically mentioned in the Mentawai Culture subject. Moreover, there is a close relationship and philosophical values between animals and Mentawai culture.
Benediktus Satoleuru, Mentawai Culture teacher at SDN 19 Katurai, Southwest Siberut, mentioned some of the material presented in the Mentawai Culture subject. There is an introduction to the local food gete sago, the traditional uma house, titi or tato, as well as musical instruments.
These materials make it possible to include an introduction to animals. In material about uma, for example. Kailaba wooden dolls as omat simagre or toys for spirits, actually have a living form, namely the white-bellied hornbill. The only type of hornbill in the Mentawai Islands has a special place in the beliefs of the Mentawai tribe.
Likewise, skulls of primates or other hunted animals are displayed at Uma. Its existence can be an introduction to introducing the diversity of primates in Mentawai, all of which are endemic.
In the ins and outs of citizen journalism, participants were introduced to journalistic work. Participants are encouraged to express their observations in writing and package them as news or interesting information. Writing can later be shared without having to send it to a newspaper, but simply via a personal social media account.
This writing certainly requires elements of news, as well as information and knowledge. The aim is primarily to promote the cultural richness and biodiversity of the Mentawai Islands. Apart from that, the writings of the training participants as part of the Mentawai community can also function as a voice, both for Mentawai culture and animals, whose existence is increasingly marginalized.
In this training we distributed education posters to all participants and for their schools about birds, primates, butterfly, dragonfly, amphibian and reptile of Mentawai. All these posters using photos that collected during previous fieldwork by Malinggai Uma Team and SwaraOwa team.
Siripok Bilou : Mentawai Gibbon Friends
by Arif Setiawan
Bilou (Hylobates klossii) and the Mentawai Islands since the first time I breath the air on Sikerei’s land in 2010, have their own charm always to re-visit, not just to see but have to continue to contribute to participating in conservation efforts, in a modern cultural wave that rolls forge these islands on the shores of the Indian Ocean.
Since the first time Bilou’s research activities in the Mentawai have become an identity, my colleagues and I in South Siberut, especially the Malinggai Uma ( a long house) Mentawai team, have at least been known for Bilou’s conservation activities, so we met many people in Mentawai villages. called us by the name of Si Bilou. This nickname has now stuck and has finally made us proud of what we have done.
In Mentawai culture, if there are people from outside the tribe who can then be accepted and become part of the tribe, there is the term “siripok”, which means more or less like a friend, close friend. I, Pak Ismail, and Dami (both of them from one of the largest clans in Mentawai) seem to have gone through various dynamics since the first time we met them more than 13 years ago. Starting from research and survey activities in the Mentawai Islands, they are the spearhead, not just being guides, pompong drivers, and language translators, without them current activities would not be what they are today, they are lead Malinggai Uma, a local community organization based on cultural activities, and long time workin in the gibbon related activities, this organization have their own role to conserve nature as part of their cultural identity.
Togather with malinggai Uma team, we have done activities to mainstream the value of Mentawai nature and culture. Targeted younger generation and educators and teachers series of books and all availabe online for purchase, and training activities have done already since 2017. Mentawai primate field guide book, Mentawai Bird Guide Book, we created also quartet game for education purposes.
Series of training was done for the teachers in Mentawai with the aims to : 1. Introduce to the current generation of local teachers of Mentawai culture the local flora and fauna, especially our primate species;2. Enable teachers of Mentawai culture to spread the conservation message to their students; 3. Allow teachers to inspire the next generation to contribute to conservation at a local level; 4.Bring together Mentawai biodiversity and cultural conservation activists.
Siripok bilou has become a new spirit for us, which complements Mentawai nature conservation efforts, especially primate species at the grassroots level. The calling of the bilou then becomes a source of pride that we have done something for Bilou the Mentawai gibbon.
We tried to visualize this bilou philosophy , based on the pictures at Uma Malinggai where there is a pair of bilou holding hands. Reading this picture, one can see that Bilou is very close to daily life in Siberut, many research results have stated that gibbons are primates who always live in pairs, the size of the arms that are longer than the body is also clearly depicted in the ornaments at the Uma .
Keep up with Mentawai field works, of swaraowa and Malinggai , with #siripokbilou on social media. Apart from continuing to encourage capacity building for the Uma malinggai team, this siripok bilou logo is a medium to introduce the gibbons, nature and native Mentawai culture, hopefully it will continue to be sustainable.
To support activities in the Mentawai, we made a Siripok Bilou calendar, t-shirt and goodybags which was sold at a price of 100 thousand, you get 1 pack of Owa bilou coffee. For orders, please contact IG @swaraowa or @owacoffee or for those in Mentawai, you can contact Malinggai Uma in Puro2 hamlet, Muntai village, South Siberut. Other previous published books and mentawai biodviersity posters also can be purchased, shipped worldwide through contact us at swaraowa at gmail.com.
This year we the activities in Uma received more support fund from Arcus Foundation through great ape and gibbon program grant, we will continue activities in the 3rd teacher training in Siberut, bring them in the field to learn about mentawai nature and culture. Gibbon spotting and bird watching will be main field lesson in the training event. Coming soon for the event in this end of March 2023.
The richness of Mendolo Village – Durians and biodiversity
By Sidiq Harjanto & Kurnia Ahmadin
Durian cultivars in Mendolo ( Foto Ikmal Biolaska)
We believe that a sustainable economy is key to safeguarding the forest habitat of the Javan gibbon. This is why SwaraOwa have made shade coffee (coffee that grows under the natural shade of forest trees), palm sugar and beekeeping ‘core businesses’ of ours. In this, our primary aim is to promote sustainable economic growth for the communities living around the forests inhabited by the Javan gibbon. If we manage to develop these businesses in line with forest conservation efforts, we will demonstrate that it is possible to improve the welfare of local communities without over-exploiting our forests.
In Mendolo Village, we are close partners with the Mendolo Young Farmers Association (PPM Mendolo), who are the driving force for nature conservation in their village. As the younger generation there mostly still practice farming, PPM Mendolo functions as an incubator for them to launch innovative projects at a local level.
Tasting the richness of Mendolo’s durians
Durian has long been a sought-after commodity in Mendolo Village. With its superior taste, Mendolo’s durians also form one of the main pillars of the local economy. However, because this village is quite hard to reach, its durians are not well known among lovers of this tropical fruit.
And so the PPM youth had the idea of transforming their village into an attraction where visitors can enjoy local durian directly at its source. Developing tourism will also boost Mendolo’s reputation as the home of quality durian.
On 15 January 2023, PPM Mendolo invited Biolaska (Students of Biology at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, IDS (Indonesia Dragonfly Society), and SwaraOwa to research the potential of durians from Mendolo Village. We inventoried and did taste profiling on durians grown by local farmers. Our aim is to produce a catalogue of durian varieties in Mendolo that will most certainly be of use to durian enthusiasts seeking to explore the richness of these durians that are Mendolo’s very own.
From a sample of 24 local durian varieties, we identified different physical and taste characteristics. Fruit shape ranges from perfectly round, to ovoid, to wavy, all the way to pear-shaped. Husk colours include green, yellow and brown. The fruit itself also varies in colour, from white to yellowish white yellow. In terms of fruit taste, the profiles include sweet, creamy, alcoholic, slightly bitter, and sticky rice. The thickness of the fruit flesh is another variable characteristic.
During our time there, everybody was given a chance to experience ngramban, an activity where food plants growing wild in the forest are collected and then cooked for dinner. That night, we served up no less than 18 dishes. This is a valuable tradition, as preparing food from locally sourced natural ingredients instils in the village community an appreciation for the various wild plants and animals in their surroundings.
The wildlife found in the forests nearby also offers the potential for ecotourism. Wildlife watching has in fact vastly gained in popularity in recent years. In this connection, PPM Mendolo have actively collected data on the avifauna in and around the village, and monitored primates such as the Javan gibbon, Javan langur and Javan slow loris.
Sustainable growth for Mendolo
Our projects in Mendolo were not solely conceptualised as an alternative livelihood for the community, but also as a catalyst for village development. Law No. 6/2014 on Villages has brought about a paradigm shift, with the focus moving away from growing villages to villages growing. This puts villagers in the driver’s seat where village development is concerned. They are irreplaceable with their intimate knowledge of local conditions and history, and are our greatest hope in realising a development trajectory in line with sustainable principles.
Each village is unique in its potential for development. Getting villagers, especially the younger generation, acquainted with their biodiversity and various types of produce, will help spread awareness of how humans can enjoy tangible benefits from working in harmony with nature.
As a simple example, durian plantations do not automatically yield abundant fruit. In order to produce a good crop, farmers need wild birds to provide pest control services, as well as bats to do pollination. If they are made aware of this, the community will naturally want to protect the ecosystem to consistently reap a good durian harvest.
Biodiversity is Indonesia’s greatest asset and certainly also its future, but we need to preserve and manage it properly. For this to work, we must take care of diversity at the species, genetic and ecosystem level. The diversity of durian varieties in Mendolo is an example of diversity management at the genetic level. This diversity can be transformed into capital to develop Indonesia if more people come to appreciate the value of having such a broad range of durian flavours.
Javan gibbon: strengthening conservation networks at grassroot level
Javan gibbon ( Hylobates moloch)
In November-December 2022 SwaraOwa received visits from parties who have so far fully supported the development of the Javan gibbon conservation program in Central Java, especially Pekalongan Regency.
Mandai Nature representative from Singapore, visited the gibbon habitat November 18-22 2022, Mandai Nature is the new name of the Institution that previously namely Wildlife Reserve Singapore which has supported the swaraowa’s program since 2014, through the Coffee and Primate Conservation project. In 2022 swaraowa also collaborated with Chance for Nature ( CfN) from Germany which also supports programs that have been running through the gibbon coffee project and provided new input for monitoring the Javan gibbon and became a guest speaker at the annual event sokokembang primate field course on 12-15 December 2022 .
Mandai team and Swaraowa team, at Kopi Owa Sokokembang
Special guests from the two institutions visited to see first-hand the programs that have been developed so far. At the gibbon coffee production house in Yogyakarta, the headquartered organization of the gibbon coffee team introduces commodities produced through the project, especially coffee which has been sent to Singapore every year since 2016. Introducing the team and introducing coffee characters from several locations as well as describing the taste of each of these coffees became the main activity in Yogyakarta.
Turning to the field, in Sokokembang we stayed at the swaraowa field station, which had been built and prepared to support field activities, where we could see directly the Robusta shade grown coffee production site, which is managed together with the residents. Part of the production of palm sugar can also be witnessed directly at the Swaraowa field station.
meet the Beekeeper at Tembelan village
Observing the primates in Sokokembang is of course special, because these are the primates that have linked Swaraowa . All primates in this area can be found directly, Javan langurs, gibbons, leaf monkeys and long-tailed macaques can all be found directly by these special guests without having to enter the forest but observing along the road from Kroyakan to Sokokembang.
Christian from Chance for Nature with Mendolo officials
Interact directly with people from Petungkriyono and Lebakbarang who have been directly involved in the development of forest commodity activities and conservation. Visiting Tlogohendro to see Arabica coffee production and nursery locations, and also see beekeeping in the village of Kayupuring Setipis, where native bees (Apis cerana) are developed for economic value bee honey.
Dirk Meyer (CfN) with participants of primate field course Sokokembang
In Mendolo Village, met with village officials and saw the beekeeping activities that have been developed since 2017 and supported by funding from Mandai Nature.
The visits of these supporting partners not only strengthen communication between swaraowa and the sponsors, but also increase self-confidence and pride in what the people around the forest have, because what has been done so far has also been appreciated by people from abroad. What’s more, this visit will at least strengthen the conservation narrative that has been initiated, to amplify and promote activities from the natural habitat of Indonesian primates, to the world.
Written by Arif Setiawan
The 9th Sokokembang Primate Field Course
all participants and guest experts MSP 2022, infront of SwaraOwa Field Station
The 9th Primate Survey Method Training (MSP) event has just been completed ,were successfully held on 12-15 Deember 2022, in Sokokembang, and is the closing of Swaraowa’s activities in 2022. The primate survey method training activity, known as MSP, aims to increase capacity and encourage the emergence of primate researchers and conservationist from the younger generation, as well as building a network of primate researchers.
As in previous years, MSP 2022 is collaborating with KP3 Primata, Forestation Faculty of Forestry, Gadjah Mada University, who is longtime patner organizer, which is different from previous MSPs this year we are holding in December, and the MSP event course content is also more focused on the gibbon population estimate .
field practice for gibbon triangulation survey and placement pasive voice recorder
The series of events began with the announcement of registration to the selection of participants, where 25 applicants , we selected based on the motivation letters and CVs of each prospective participant, until finally 10 participants were selected. all these participants are fully funded for their transport, food and accomodation during in the field. This year’s participants are students who have or are currently doing primate research and are also non-governmental organizations.
classroom activities, Adin (swaraowa) with pasive voice recorder setting up introduction
photo group field practice MSP 2022
The MSP 2022, with the concept of one day of basic theory in classroom and two practical days of data collection for the purpose of estimating primate populations presented by course tutor Salmah Widyastuti, a doctoral student from IPB who is also an alumni of MSP 2017, 2018. For the vocal count triangulation method this year too introduced the ASCR (Acoustic Spatial Capture-Recapture) analysis method for estimating gibbon density based on vocalization. The swaraOwa team itself had 2 speakers who provided material, namely Kurnia Ahmaddin who introduced the use of passive recording devices for monitoring based on sound, and Nur Aoliya who introduced bioacoustics analysis of the Javan gibbon calls.
There were two guest speakers that we invited to the MSP 2022 event, Dirk Meyer from Chance for Nature Germany, who also shared his experiences on using bioacoustics for the conservation of leaf-eating monkeys from the genus Presbytis and Indira Nurul Qomariah from the Center for Orangutan Protection who shared experience on cyber campaigns for the conservation of Indonesian primates.
Participants who were divided into 3 groups practiced the vocal count method for 2 days and also installed passive recording devices at predetermined observation points (Listening Points ). The practice of data collection and installation and data analysis was carried out on the second day, with the guidance of the presenters and guest speakers.
Presentation of research results and writing of reports on observations concluded the 4-day MSP 2022 activities in the Sokokembang forest. There is a selection of the best chosen based on the results of writing reports and presentations by participants.
The Sokokembang field course was held thanks to the support from Fortwayne Children’s Zoo, Ostrava Zoo, Chance for Nature, and Kopi Owa.
Written by : Arif Setiawan
SwaraOwa at the 8th Asian Primate Symposium, Vietnam
The first international primate conference held in Asia since the Covid-19 pandemic, the 8th edition of the Asian Primate Symposium took place at the Forestry Faculty of the Vietnam National University in Hanoi.
Word that the event was going to happen first went out in August 2022 and sparked some excitement on social media. The organisers hoped to attract a sizeable number of delegates from Indonesia, the single Asian country with the most primate species. I was therefore honoured to be able to represent Indonesia as a member of the scientific committee on this occasion. On behalf of SwaraOwa I and Aoliya will present and give talks in the symposium.
Vietnam has 24 species of primates, including a slow loris (Lorisidae), six species of crested gibbon belonging to the genus Nomascus, various monkeys (Cercopithecidae) and strikingly coloured langurs (Colobinae). Unfortunately, almost 90% of the primate species in Vietnam are on the verge of extinction, and 10 of these are already critically endangered.
The tragedy that was the Vietnam War has left an indelible mark on Vietnam’s culture and geopolitics that still has consequences for its biodiversity. Vietnam is one of the foremost biodiversity hotspots in Southeast Asia, but is at the same time a global centre for the illegal wildlife trade. Conservationists in Vietnam certainly have a lot on their plates as a result. Visiting Vietnam gave me an opportunity to observe first-hand how initiatives to protect nature, especially these primate species, are unfolding.
When we received the invitation to this symposium, we immediately started making plans for primate watching. Squeezing in a visit to Cat Tien National Park – or Cat Tien NP for short – before the conference was a very tempting prospect indeed. Located in southern Vietnam, it is famous for being home to the Yellow-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus gabrielle) and the Black-shanked douc (Pygathrix nigripes).
An interesting fact about Cat Tien NP is that its logo is a Javan rhinoceros. Indeed, the subspecies Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus once lived in Vietnam. Sadly though, the last known specimen was found dead by the authorities in 2010. The rhino is known to have been shot by poachers with its horn missing, rhino horn being one of the ingredients used in traditional Chinese medicine.
From Ho Chi Minh airport, the taxi ride to Cat Tien National Park took approximately 4 hours. Entry to the national park cost only 60,000 VND (Rp. 38,000), very affordable in comparison to Indonesia. Along the way, we had to cross a river surrounded by wetlands on one of the boats on standby from 7 am to 7 pm. For gibbon observation, Cat Tien NP charges a separate fee of 200,000 VND, because you need to be accompanied by park staff and spend the night there in order to set off at 4.30am the next day, when the gibbons usually make their morning calls. Upon hearing the gibbons call, the guide will try and determine where they are calling from and lead you towards that location. It is very difficult to spot gibbons when it is light, as they would usually have retreated into the dense upper canopy by then and there are no ideal locations from which to observe them there.
The Black Shanked Douc Langur
Although hiring a guide made a lot of sense, we ultimately chose to explore the park on our own. The roads here are very good and easily traversible on a vehicle, with only tourists being allowed to use them.
Our first encounter with a Vietnamese primate was with the Black-shanked douc, a type of langur the size of our Proboscis monkey in Indonesia. Its pelage is a combination of black and white, and its thighs a glossy black. This species is critically endangered. Like langurs in general which eat leaves, when we encounter them they are usually at rest, digesting the leaves they had eaten. There were two troops that we saw that morning, and they seemed quite habituated to the visitors.
Macaca fascicularis
On the second day we got around using bicycles we rented at the park office. The bike paths were quite well kept, but the bikes not in top condition considering the route was more than 9 km long. Observing while riding a bicycle is also not like walking where you can listen out for every rustle in the trees. But on a bike you can cover huge distances and see the various types of habitats in Cat Tien. We managed to find one troop of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), one of macaques (Macaca leonina) and one of doucs on this day.
The symposium
There is a rather well developed culture of conservation and primate research in Vietnam, as seen from the many Vietnamese primatologists who were involved in organising the event, as well as the number of international conservation organisations supporting it. The symposium officially commenced on 14 November 2022, in the auditorium of the Vietnam National University’s Forestry Faculty. It opened with a plenary talk by Christian Roos about the diversity and genetic history of Asian primate species.
I myself gave a presentation at one of the sessions on ‘Human – Nonhuman primate interaction and conflict’ alongside four other presenters. An abstract of my presentation, entitled ‘The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic: Learning from the story of Javan gibbon (Hylobates moloch) conservation’, can be found here[https://www.three-monkeys.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Full-APS-Program-Final-11_11_22_Z.pdf].
There was likewise an interesting session on the use of thermal drones to survey and monitor primate populations in Cat Tien National Park. Commercial drones available on the market are deployed at night, when primates are usually at rest and the surrounding temperatures are cooler as compared to during the day, so that the body heat of primates can be more easily detected by the camera sensor.
I chaired a session on ‘Human – Nonhuman primate interactions and conflicts’ with four presenters, incidentally all representing Indonesian organisations. The first was Octaviana Sawitri from the Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP), who discussed human – orangutan conflict in East Kalimantan. then our team, SwaraOwa’s Nur Aoliya then presented a solution to primates in Petungkriyono accidentally getting electrocuted. The third presenter was Jochen Menner. From Germany, he is works for Prigen Conservation Breeding Ark, Taman Safari, and gave a talk about the online trade in Indonesian primates. And the last talk came from Indira Nurul Qomariah from COP, who also discussed the illegal primate trade in Indonesia.
Nomascus gabrielle
Day two, 15 November 2022, saw us go on a field trip to Chuc Phuong National Park, approximately four hours away by bus. All conference participants joined in. This was in fact my second time in Chuc Phuong. It was great to visit the primate rehabilitation center there again, and also to see various other endangered species. The EPRC was founded in 1993, with the aims to help rehabilitation and rescue center for the illegal primate traded. They will be released if the conditions in the wild are suitable. Among the primates at the EPRC are douc langurs and langurs, which are very attractive. You can imagine that they would stand out even more in their natural habitat, some of which are in inaccessible areas such as karst formations.
Nomascus siki
There is also a centre for the rehabilitation and conservation of reptiles such as turtles and other mammals like pangolins and small carnivores. Some of these facilities are used for visitor education, where the staff and keepers explain their efforts to save the lives of these native animals. Sadly however, as I said at the beginning, Vietnam is a global hub for the illegal animal trade, so releasing these animals back into the wild could cause their downfall because they will likely be caught again and eaten or traded.
The two species of gibbons that I encountered, the Yellow-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus gabrielle) and the Southern white-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus siki), were in forests near the rehabilitation centre. Because they were outside the cages, they looked like they were in their natural habitat.
After Chuc Phuong, we went to Van Long Nature Reserve to do primate watching in the iconic wetland karst area, where we hoped to find more doucs. Unfortunately, it was pouring when we arrived there and the event had to be cancelled. Quite a shame because this place was renowned as the most visited primate watching destination in Vietnam before the pandemic. This marked the end of my time at the symposium in Vietnam and I returned to Indonesia the next morning.
Our thanks go to the symposium committee, especially the Three Monkey Wildlife Sanctuary. I would also like to thank IUCN SSA and Fortwayne Children’s Zoo for sponsoring my attendance in the symposium . The next edition of the Asian Primate Symposium in 2024 is likely to be held in Indonesia. See you there!
Written by Arif Setiawan, translated by T.T Chan
Niche ecotourism and the Natuna Island Leaf Monkey
Kekah Natuna (Presbytis natunae)
A primate watching expedition in September 2022 took us to the northern tip of the Indonesian archipelago, to a place called the Natuna Islands. SwaraOwa and Natuna go back all the way to November 2020, when we made our first trip there. This time, we set off for Natuna via Pontianak because there happened to be activities in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, from which we travelled on to Batam. The flight from Batam to Natuna lasted around 1 h 45 min. Finally, at 4.20pm on 8 September 2022 I set foot on Natuna and breathed the fresh air of the islands that I had long dreamt of visiting for the Natuna Island leaf monkey (Presbytis natunae), named Kekah locally. We headed for Mekar Jaya Village, in Bunguran Barat District. Bang Ahdiani, a local hero who played a crucial role in advocating the conservation of native Natuna primates, was expecting us. Bang Ahdiani first took us to visit one of the natural wonders of Natuna, an extraordinarily large outcrop of granite set against a spectacular coastal backdrop. It is a thing of such beauty that words cannot do it justice.
geological history of Natuna Island
This granite outcrop is a throwback to the Jurassic period about 200 million years ago, when, according to geological research, the Natuna Islands were formed by the collision between the Indian Ocean crust and the Sunda shelf. The Natuna Islands are therefore a valuable repository of geological information and biodiversity that must be preserved for future generations.
The Kekah Natuna can probably trace its origins back to a period approximately 6,000 to 20,000 years ago, when most of Southeast Asia was still a contiguous landmass called Sundaland. Natuna is located near the ancient Molengraaff river system that flowed through part of Sundaland. This river system is named after the geologist and natural explorer Gustaaf Frederik Molengraaff from the Netherlands who studied Sundaland’s ancient rivers in the 1800s. The area was one of the planet’s foremost biodiversity hotspots at that time, but it was significantly affected by changes in sea levels and the global climate.
This graphic shows how most of Sundaland became submerged over time:
source : https://atlantisjavasea.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/sundaland-in-the-last-glacial-period.gif
It is thought that after the dinosaurs became extinct, mammals, including types of leaf-eating monkeys (of which the Kekah Natuna is one), spread from the Asian mainland onto the vast plains of Sundaland that stretched as far as Java, Kalimantan and Sumatra. Over a period of two million years, as sea levels rose and fell and the vegetation in the region underwent dramatic changes, primates started diversifying into new species to exploit the new opportunities that emerged. This applies especially to the Presbytis leaf-eating monkeys or surili’s of Sundaland, now largely underwater and separated into Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan. Today, various species of Presbytis monkey are found on Natuna, Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and surrounding small islands such as Bintan, Singapore, and parts of peninsular Malaysia. The various species are distinguishable by differences in morphology, from their hair colour, body size, skull shape voice, and even genetically.
Every new primate seen alive in its natural habitat counts as a ‘lifer’ for primate observers and is proudly added to their ‘life lists’. That day, I was privileged enough to see the Kekah Natuna for the first time, a lifer for me!
We encountered our first Kekah– a troop of around three individuals – in a rubber plantation mixed with natural timber close to a mangrove swamp. At a distance of approximately 65 meters, we could clearly make out their black crowns, the black on their backs extending down their arms and feet, and the white on the chest and flanks covering their upper abdomen and lower thighs. There is also white around the eyes, nose and mouth, making them look like they are wearing glasses and a mask.
Kekah Natuna with infants
We had got there by skirting the edge of the village along a paved road, which made looking for the surili much easier. A few metres later we saw the same troop again. Incidentally, the surili in Mekar Jaya ppeared relatively habituated to humans.
We continued to walk through the abandoned rubber plantation around Mekar Jaya, getting a feel for the lay of the land and the habitats there. All the way, the surili seemed to get easier to observe up close. The seeds of these rubber trees turned out to be one of their favourite foods.
At the primate congress in Ecuador last year, the Natuna Island leaf monkey was recognised as one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world. Information on the species is scarce, with only three studies having been conducted since the first specimen was found 86 years ago (read the full report here). A recent publication on the Natuna Island surili in Mekar Jaya estimates that in the three types of habitat found around the hamlet totalling 1,236.17 ha in area, there were around 928.2 individuals. This research can be read in full here: https://jurnal.untan.ac.id/index.php/jmfkh/article/view/52427
We also went on night excursions at Mekar Jaya, where we were very pleased to see that the Malayan colugo (Galeopterus variegatus) could be found quite easily. Sadly, we had no luck finding our target, the slow loris, on our two nights there. What really impressed us about Mekar Jaya was their marine aquaculture, and Bang Ahdiani took us on a boat to see the small islands around Mekar Jaya. We found out that Humphead wrasse breeding on Sedanau Island accounts for a significant portion of Natuna’s exports and wrapped up the boat trip with a sumptuous black pepper crab meal.
enjoying Natuna cullinary
What little research on the Natuna Island surili has already delivered some results. Tours are now organised to look for the Kekah which can promote awareness of the importance of biodiversity in order to resist encroachment on native habitats by humans and their infrastructure. Such tours could also boost the local economy, as they will bring about a demand for lodging and experienced guides. The Kekah Natuna is an obscure species, so bringing it to the attention of an audience from other parts of Indonesia and the world will certainly inspire a greater sense of appreciation for it among locals. Simple as this idea may be, it could ultimately encourage locals to take greater ownership of their natural enviroment and guarantee a future for this threatened primate.
Kekah watching will likewise encourage the participation of the general public in citizen science. The data gathered by ordinary people trying to spot different primate species and tick them off on their life lists can be used to inform how the population and habitat of the Natuna Island surili are managed. This could in turn help locals gain more in the way of ecological, economic, social and cultural benefits from conserving nature. For example, the Kekah Natuna could both become an emblem of local pride, as well as add to the array of special interest tourist attractions that Natuna has to offer. Everyone has a part to play in ensuring that the surili is not trapped, not kept in captivity and not disturbed, and that its habitat is allowed to thrive.
In sum, observing primates in the wild is a fun activity that brings you closer to nature and will get you talking to local residents who may have lots of interesting cultural and personal experiences to share. What’s more, by sharing your sightings with others, you can broaden our scientific understanding of these unique creatures and allow them to be better protected.
Reference
Harrison, T., Krigbaum, J. and Manser, J., 2006. Primate biogeography and ecology on the Sunda Shelf islands: a paleontological and zooarchaeological perspective. In Primate biogeography (pp. 331-372). Springer, Boston, MA
Written by Arif Setiawan, Translated by T.T Chan
Petungkriyono Bird Race 2022
all participants, guest speakers and commitee
With the announcement of the winners, the Petungkriyono Bird Race drew to a close on Sunday, 23 October 2022. This competition cum workshop, which had centred on the Black Canyon tourist area in Tinalum Hamlet (Kayupuring Village), lasted three days in total.
In the General category, Team MuLia comprising Wahyudi and Candra Setyawan Nurwijaya came out on top. The delegation from the Youth Organisation of Tlogoguwo Village, Purworejo, managed to beat the seven other registered teams.
The first and second runners-up in the same category were both teams from Jakarta. In second place were Muhammad Bilal Yogaswara and Ainaya Nurfadila (Team Butuh Pendamping Hidup) who represented Simpul Indonesia, and coming third were Aditya Nurrahma Badri and Niken Rahmawati (Team Finding Burung Dulu), from Finding Orchid.
The General category also comprised several other youth groups, agroforestry organisations, as well as the Masyarakat Mitra Polhut, who hail from all over Java, including Jakarta, Pekalongan, Purworejo, Klaten, and Yogyakarta.
participants activity
For the Student category, Team Ngalor-Ngidul won the first place, representing Paguyuban Pengamat Burung Jogja (Birdwatchers’ Association of Yogyakarta). The association, which brings together campus-based birders in Yogyakarta, sent Raden Nicosius Liontino Alieser and Rio Syahrudin.
The second place was won by Muhammad Nafis Ufsi and Ridza Dewananta Subagyo (Team Haliaster team), who took part on behalf of Mapala Haliaster (the Student Naturalists’ Association) of Diponegoro University, Semarang. Placing third were David Suharjanto and Haqqul Fata (Team Bionic) from Kelompok Pengamat Burung Bionic (Bionic Birdwatching Group), Yogyakarta State University. David had been tasked with briefing all participants on the Indonesian Birdwatcher’s Code of Conduct before the race started.
It was in the Student category that we had the most intense competition. The winners had to beat dozens of other teams representing bird and wildlife interest groups from a wide array of universities, namely Jakarta State University, National University, IPB University, Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University, Malang Agricultural Institute, Malang State University, and Airlangga University.
The winners were each given a trophy and prizes worth a total of 12 million rupiah. In addition, a special prize for the Most Dedicated Team was awarded to Team Rangkong Racing Club from Mapalipma (Student Naturalists’ Association of the Malang Agricultural Institute) consisting of Arrayaana Artaka and Ahmad Nizar Zulmi Yahya
Chesnut-breasted Malkoha, (Phaenicophaeus curvirostris), encountered by participants in the 2022 Petungkriyono Bird Race
Conservation Workshop
In addition to the competition, the event also included a conservation workshop that was divided into three sessions.
The first featured Untoro Tri Pamungkas, Perhutani chief administrator and Director of the SwaraOwa Arif Setiawan as speakers. This session was all about conservation in the Petungkriyono forest area.
The next workshop session started with a keynote speech by Waskito Kukuh Wibowo from Birdpacker, Malang, who covered various aspects of birdwatching ecotourism in Indonesia. Kuswoto, chairman of Welo Asri, was the opening speaker representing managers of tourist sites in Kayupuring Village.
the winner General Category
At the third and final session, which focussed on community-based bird conservation, Imam Taufiqurrahman from the SwaraOwa Foundation delivered the first talk. He explained how seven villages had been involved in a survey of Javan blue-banded kingfisher populations.
The second presentation was by Kelik Suparno, chairman of the Wanapaksi KTH Conservation Division, Jatimulyo. He talked us through his group’s efforts to turn Jatimulyo into a Bird-Friendly Village. Their flagship project is the nest adoption programme, which they have been running since 2017. As of October 2022, the programme has successfully protected 61 nests belonging to 15 bird species, including increasingly rare songbirds such as the Javan blue flycatcher (Cyornis banyumas) and Brown-cheeked bulbul (Alophoixus bres), yielding a total of 93 fledglings.
In total, this nest protection programme involves 45 adopters, both individuals and institutions, and 29 land owners. To date, it has raised more than 45 million rupiah for parties such as loca govt, landowners, and KTH Wanapaksi as coordinators.
Concluding the workshop was a debrief and discussion round moderated by Swis Winasis, the creator of the Burungnesia application. Swis Winasis began with a summary of the presentations of the previous speakers in order to get participants thinking and talking about how birdwatchers can contribute to bird conservation.
He then introduced to us the concept of the silent forest. This describes a situation where birds and other animals have largely disappeared from their habitats due to hunting and trading going unchecked. The verdant Petungkriyono forest is in fact the perfect example of a silent forest.
Swis Winasis, a Batu native, elaborated that in total, the participants had seen or heard no more than 32 bird species having spent half a day in the Petungkriyono forest, going by their notes. The average number of species contestants recorded was between eight and 10.
The ensuing discussion round was meant to introduce the projects of the organisations involved. One of the topics that subsequently emerged was the 10th Meeting of Indonesian Birdwatchers. The intention is now for the event to take place in Jakarta
After having been called off for two years in a row due to COVID, no plans had yet been made for a future edition of that meeting. In the discussion, representatives from Jakarta were tasked to draw up a conference agenda with the birdwatching community there.
The Petungkriyono Bird Race 2022 would not have been possible without the support and assistance of many parties. The Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP), Oriental Bird Club (OBC), Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, Zoo Ostrava, and Chances for Nature were the main sponsors. Perhutani supported the event by providing a location to facilitate the flow of participants, funds, and door prize.
As the organiser of the event, the SwaraOwa Foundation have also received invaluable assistance from various members of the Kayupuring Village community, especially the residents of Tinalum and Sokokembang hamlets. In addition, the organising committee comprised members of the Mendolo Young Farmers Association, Pekalongan University students, and Doro residents.
These conservation-themed competitions and workshops were organised in collaboration with the Black Canyon and Welo Asri tourist organisations, who provided the venue. Burungnesia and Birdpacker provided the applications used in the competition, as well as various door prizes.
Ticket to the Moon sponsored the main door gift for all participants. Other memorabilia were provided by Owa Coffee, Perhutani, and the Department of Environment and Forestry of Central Java Province. Tower Bersama Group provided free health services for one day for participants and committee members.
Written by : Imam Taufiqurrahman, translated by T.T Chan