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