A comparison of orang-utan density in a logged and unlogged forest on Sumatra

Abstract

Several studies have shown that there is a strong decline in orang-utan densities shortly after logging. Nevertheless, there is little information on whether orang-utan densities return to their pre-logging values when logged forest is left to recover. This study investigates the orang-utan density in a 22-year-old selectively logged forest and compares it with the orang-utan density in a nearby ecologically similar primary forest. The results show that the orang-utan density did not differ significantly between primary forest and the selectively logged forest. Since we found no difference in fruit availability between the selectively logged and primary forest, we suggest that the selectively logged forest regenerated sufficiently well to sustain pre-logging levels of orang-utans. This study confirms previous studies that suggest fruit availability is the best ecological predictor of orang-utan densities and found a positive overall correlation between orang-utan density and fruit availability. The food attraction hypothesis, which explains local fluctuations in orang-utan density as a result of variation in fruit availability, was not supported.