Characteristic of Orangutan Habitat in Coal Mining Rehabilition Area in East Kalimantan, Indonesia

L Niningsih,Ya Mulyani,Ssu Atmoko,Hs Alikodra

doi:10.7226/jtfm.23.1.34

Abstract

The majority of wild orangutans are found outside of the protected areas, including in coal mining areas which generally overlapping with orangutan habitat. Thereby, mining ensured a direct impact on orangutans. Opportunities orangutans to survive in the mining area depends on various factors, one of them is the ability of orangutan to adapt to habitat change. We investigated habitat characteristics in the coal mining area consist of land cover types, species composition, and the structure of vegetation. Data were collected from April to September 2014 in the coal mining rehabilitation area (CMRA) of PT KPC in East Kutai. Mining caused the natural habitat fragmented into smaller patches in the form of CMRA and natural forests remaining. The forest stand in CMRA compiled by the small trees of the same species and age class. It caused the canopy is not always continue. Food trees and nest trees were limited in CMRA. Exotic species dominated in CMRA, namely: Senna siamea, Falcataria moluccana, and Senna surattensis. CMRA is not the good habitat for orangutan if seen from the aspect of either structure or vegetation composition. The quality of habitat can be improved by modifying the structure and vegetation composition, build the ecosystem corridors, increase public awareness, and involve various stakeholders at the landscape level.

Highlights

Bornean orangutan faces a high risk of extinction in the wild due to ±78% of the wild population found outside of protected areas, namely: 29% in logging concessions, 19% in oil palm plantation concession, 6% in industrial timber plantation concessions, and 24% outside concessions (Wich et al 2012)
The aim of this research is to describe the characteristics of bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio) habitat in the coal mining rehabilitation areas about changes in land cover, floristic composition, forest structure, food plants, and nest trees
Study site The research was conducted in Coal Mining Rehabilition Area of PT Kaltim Prima Coal, which is well known as coal mining rehabilitation area (CMRA), East Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia

Summary

Introduction

Bornean orangutan faces a high risk of extinction in the wild due to ±78% of the wild population found outside of protected areas, namely: 29% in logging concessions, 19% in oil palm plantation concession, 6% in industrial timber plantation concessions, and 24% outside concessions (Wich et al 2012). The main threats to the orangutan survival are habitat loss, habitat degradation, forest fires, habitat fragmentation, illegal hunting, lack of awareness, and climate change (Meijaard et al 2001; Ancrenaz et al 2016). Wich et al (2012) estimated the number of bornean orangutan populations are 104,700 in an area of ±155,000 km, the populations predicted are continuously declining to 47,000 orangutans in 2025. The combined impacts of habitat loss, habitat degradation, and illegal hunting have caused the bornean orangutan populations declined sharply so that the bornean orangutan has been upgraded from “endangered” category becomes “critically endangered” on the Red List of Threatened Species IUCN (Ancrenaz et al 2016)

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Conclusion