by Arif Setiawan
Siripok bilou, means “friends of the gibbons “ in Siberut language was swaraOwa initiated in 2016 in as a movement to promote primate watching eco-tourism , has provided experience for the Siberut team, because since then it has also received attention from local and foreign visitors who are interested in seeing Siberut’s endemic primates directly (Gibbons, siberut langur, Siberut Macaque, and Simakobu , critically endangered pigtailed langur), or other animals through observation and adventure activities.
From September October to November 2024 guests come and go to the observation location in Toloulago, South West of Siberut. The Siripok Bilou team led by Ismael, Vincent and Franky organizes each visit. The guests who come vary according to their respective interests. These guests usually get information from previous guests, and through Swaraowa’s website and social media. Mammal watching is still the main reference for these guests for observation visits in Mentawai, especially Siberut.
The trip reports they write on the website are very useful for marketing as well as biodiversity reports, because they usually write about list of species that they encounter, their locations and visuals or photo or video documentation.
Our field work in 30 August to 4 September, 2024, we did Tololago wildlife watch and recorded numerous wildlife such as Siberut macaque, Siberut langur, Siberut flying squirrel, Greed broad bill, Asian Fairy-Blue bird, asian water monitor, the gibbon, and many more. These new collection upated visual documentary list of Mentawaian wildlife. through this fieldwork we also improving skill of guiding and develop further plan to conserve Tololago forest area.
One of the very popular trip reports is the one written by Mark Spence in 2018, https://www.mammalwatching.com/2019/10/17/new-trip-report-siberut-mentawai-islands/ .He initially got the information through SwaraOwa’s social media, and we helped him prepare the itinerary and technical details of his visit. The Siripok Bilou team arranged the technical aspects of the visit including logistics, local transport and accommodation.
Visits vary in duration, depending on the ship’s schedule, it can be 3 days and two nights, 4 days and 5 nights or 6 days and 7 nights.
Last September the Siripok Bilou team also had guests who initially read Mark Spence’s trip report and then contacted SwaraOwa via email, the target of their visit was mammal species. We actually already have a list of mammals in Toloulago, but the photos or visual documentation is not yet complete. Just based on local names and identification of previous reports, species of rats and squirrels it doesn’t seem like there are many recent reports from Siberut. I met Ian Thomson and Paul Carter from Canada and England in Padang before going to Siberut, and explained their expectations for their visit to Siberut.
During their 6 days and 7 nights in Toloulago, accompanied by Ismael, Vinsen and Franky, they said in their email that they had great success findings small mammals in Siberut. You can read their trip report here : https://www.pacapix.com/indonesia-siberut/.
Ian Thomson made his own trip report about his trip and can be read here: https://www.mammalwatching.com/community-post/indonesia-siberut-sumatra-and-java-september-2024/
These trip reports are very meaningful for us to continue to advocate for nature protection in Mentawai, even though it is not yet a tourism priority, special interest tourism like this has potential that is worthy of development. The threat of deforestation and hunting which is home to Siberut’s wildlife still continues. Visits like this have also had a positive impact on residents around the forest especially in Toloulago, lodging businesses, local guides, and providing meals for guests. Mentawai traditional culture and daily practice will be appreciated by the people from outside.
There are still many things that need to be improved for the management of special interest tourism in Mentawai. Siripok Bilou, which operates independently, needs to receive continued support. A very meaningful form of support is participating in promoting and visiting Siberut directly, by visiting forest activities with guests. who want to see native Mentawai animals, has also influenced residents not to destroy the forest. Please contact us [email protected] for your wildlife watching adventure to Siberut.