Journal
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
Volume 255, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108856
Keywords
Orangutan; Rainforest; Long-term research; Critically endangered; Non-invasive; Conservation
Funding
- Adventure Travel Conservation Fund
- American Society of Primatologists
- Ape Alliance
- Arcus Foundation [G-PGM-1911-3073, G-PGM-1708-2235, G-PGM-1506-1327, G-PGM-1104-36, 1104-36/PID-01853, 0902-30]
- Association of Zoos and Aquariums Conservation Endowment Fund [13-1159, 11-1063]
- Conservation Grants Fund [15-1296]
- Awely Foundation
- Balikpapan Orangutan Society-Canada
- Balikpapan Orangutan Society-USA
- Bay Foundation
- Paul Foundation
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
- Conservation, Food and Health Foundation
- Conservation International
- Disney Conservation Fund
- Explorers Club
- Feyerabend Foundation
- Focused on Nature
- GLOBIO Focus Foundation
- GRASP Ian Redmond Conservation Award
- Hollomon Price Foundation
- Houston Zoo
- IDEA WILD
- Indonesia Climate Change Trust Fund
- International Primatological Society Southwick Grant
- International Union for the Conservation of Nature
- Jean-Marc Vichard Conservation and Development Award
- Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund
- LSB Leakey Foundation
- Mary Erskine Grant
- Margot Marsh Biodiversity Fund
- Andrew W Mellon Foundation
- Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund
- Nacey Maggioncalda Foundation
- National Geographic Society [EC-53921R-18, ECO690-14, GEFNE68-13, 8564-08, C113-07, C49-04, 7054-01, C2-01, 6058-97, 6029-97, 5746-96, 5321-94]
- National Science Foundation [BCS 1638823, 1540360, BCS-0936199, 643122, 9414388]
- Ocean Park Conservation Fund
- Orangutan Conservancy
- Orangutan Foundation International
- Orangutan Odysseys
- Orangutan Outreach
- Orang Utan Republik Foundation
- Oregon Zoo
- Papoose Foundation
- Phoenix Zoo
- Primate Conservation International
- Prince Bernhard Nature Fund, Remembering Wildlife
- Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens
- Sea World Busch Gardens Conservation Fund
- Seneca Park Zoo
- Sigma Xi
- Tides Foundation
- USAID -IFACS
- US Fish and Wildlife Service [F19AP00798, F18AP00898, F15AP00812, F13AP00920, F12AP00369, 96200-0-G249, 96200-9-G110, 98210-8-G661, 98210-7-G185, 98210-4-G960, 98210-4-G745, 98210-1-G976, 98210-1-G051]
- Wenner-Gren Foundation
- Whitley Fund for Nature
- Wildlife Conservation Network
- Woodland Park Zoo Partners for Wildlife
- Zoo Atlanta
- Zoo New England
- Boston University
- Harvard University
- Direct For Social, Behav & Economic Scie
- Division Of Behavioral and Cognitive Sci [9414388] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
- Direct For Social, Behav & Economic Scie
- Division Of Behavioral and Cognitive Sci [1540360] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The Gunung Palung Orangutan Project has been researching critically endangered Bornean orangutans in Indonesia since 1994, with a focus on understanding how the unique rainforest environment of Southeast Asia impacts orangutan behavior, physiology, and health. Through the development of non-invasive techniques and an integrated biology approach, the project has increased understanding of the ecological and evolutionary pressures shaping orangutan adaptations.
The Gunung Palung Orangutan Project has conducted research on critically endangered wild Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) since 1994 in Gunung Palung National Park, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. A major goal of our broad-ranging research on orangutan behavior and ecology is to understand how the unique rainforest environment of Southeast Asia, characterized by dramatic changes in fruit productivity due to unpredictable mast fruiting, impacts orangutan behavior, physiology, and health. Much of our research has been devoted to the development of non-invasive techniques and an integrated biology approach ? using hormonal assays, fecal processing, nutritional analysis, genetics, and behavioral ecology ? and has led to an increased understanding of the ecological and evolutionary pressures shaping orangutan adaptations. Our results show that the extended life history and very slow reproductive rate of orangutans are adaptations to their environment. Orangutans in the Gunung Palung landscape, as elsewhere across Borneo and Sumatra, also face a series of conservation challenges, including extensive habitat loss and the illegal pet trade. We highlight how our investigations of orangutan health status, ecosystem requirements, and the assessment of orangutan density using ground and drone nest surveys have been applied to conservation efforts. We describe our project?s direct conservation interventions of public education and awareness campaigns, sustainable livelihood development, establishment of village-run customary forests, investigation of the illegal pet trade, and active engagement with Indonesian government organizations. These efforts, in concert with the development of local scientific and conservation capacity, provide a strong foundation for further conservation as orangutans face a challenging future.
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