Bukit Lawang Research Articles

Orangutan Ecotourism on Sumatra Island: Current Conditions and a Call for Further Development

This paper aimed to provide a narrative review of the current conditions of orangutan ecotourism on Sumatra Island, problems in the current management systems, and some recommendations for further development. Orangutan conservation centers have been developed on Sumatra Island since 1973. The Bukit Lawang Conservation Station is one of the orangutan conservation centers that have practiced ecotourism to overcome ecological and socio-economic issues. Even though the Bukit Lawang Conservation Station has operated for decades, this station has faced several issues, in particular a monetary crisis in 1997, a flash flood in 2003, and the COVID-19 pandemic. We identified that orangutan conservation centers on Sumatra Island have the potential to support orangutan ecotourism. These conservation centers have ecological support, available facilities, and rich local wisdom that can provide added value for orangutan ecotourism. Therefore, we propose that the development of orangutan ecotourism on Sumatra Island should accommodate surrounding communities through community-based wildlife ecotourism. We also recommend the following strategies to develop orangutan ecotourism on Sumatra Island: (1) mapping the location and distribution of wild orangutans in their natural habitats; (2) managing captive and semi-captive orangutans in conservation centers; (3) provision of tour packages; (4) community empowerment; (5) institutional strengthening of community-based ecotourism management (CBEM); (6) developing ecotourism through a benefit-sharing model; (7) anticipating and minimizing the negative impacts of ecotourism on orangutans; and (8) integrating orangutan tourism with local wisdom.

THE ROLE OF BRAND IMAGE IN MEDIATED AMENITIES IN INCREASING TOURIST SATISFACTION

Destination study that is for the role of brand image in mediate amenity to satisfaction tourists in Bukit Lawang . Method analysis by year first in study this use approach SEM (Structural Equation Modelling) . Research results show that 1) By straight a minute have influence positive and significant to brand image on Bukit Lawang . 2) In straight a minute have influence positive and significant to tourist satisfaction at Bukit Lawang . 3) In no direct brand image has role significant in mediate a minute to tourist satisfaction at Bukit Lawang .

The Effect of Creativity and Product Innovation on Business Success in Coconut Shell Waste Craftsmen in The Bukit Lawang Plantation Village Bahorok District Langkat Regency

This study aims to determine "The Effect of Creativity and Product Innovation on Business Success in Coconut Shell Waste Craftsmen in the Bukit Lawang Plantation Village, Bahorok District, Langkat Regency". This type of research is associative with a quantitative approach. The population in this study were 30 coconut shell craftsmen using the saturation point formula technique, because the population was less than 100 people, the number of samples in this study was taken absolutely from a population of 30 respondents. Based on the T test and F test, it can be concluded that the creativity and product innovation variables partially have a positive and significant effect on the success of the Coconut Shell Waste Craftsmen in the Bukit Lawang Plantation Village, indicating Ho is rejected and Ha is accepted. Coefficient of Determination (R2) = 0.343 or 34.3%. 65.7% was influenced by other factors not described in this study.

INVENTARISASI ANGGREK DI HUTAN BUKIT LAWANG DESA TIMBANG JAYA KECAMATAN BAHOROK KABUPATEN LANGKAT

<p><em>Indonesia has 25% of the world's flowering plant species. One of the largest flowering plants in Indonesia is the Orchidaceae family. There are 4,000 – 5,000 species of orchids scattered in various provinces, one of which is in North Sumatra. There is still little information about the Family Orchidaceae found in the Bukit Lawang Forest, the purpose of this research is to determine the types of orchids found in the Bukit Lawang Forest, Timbang Jaya Village, Bahorok District. This research was conducted from December 2020 to January 2021. The research method is exploratory by making an inventory of the types of orchids found along the exploration path. The results found 9 species of orchids (7 genera) consisting of 7 epiphytes and 2 terrestrial, namely Bulbophyllum </em>sp.<em>, Bromheadia </em>sp.<em>, Plocoglottis </em>sp.<em>, Epidendrum </em>sp.<em>, Pinalia </em>sp.<em>, Dendrobium </em>sp.<em> and Dendrobium lobolatum.</em></p>

Risk Perception and Preparedness in Flash Flood-Affected Communities: Evidence from Bahorok, Indonesia

The Bahorok River basin has a high flash-flood hazard index. This is shown by loss of lives and damage of homes due to floods in recent years, however, no research examined community preparedness on the hazard of flash-flood. This research aimed to assess the effect of disaster experience and flood-risk perception on disaster preparedness of the people of Bukit Lawang Plantation Village. A cross-sectional survey design was used to determine the relationship between disaster experience, risk perception and preparedness as the independent and dependent variables, respectively. The results showed that disaster experience and risk perception positively and significantly affect the community preparedness. Disaster risk reduction programs in the region only focus on emergency response, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. Furthermore, increasing public awareness and preparedness has not been prioritized in reducing flood risk. This is an essential aspect for consideration because mountainous areas are often marginalized and lack access to disaster risk reduction programs.
 Keywords : Flood-risk perception; preparedness; flash flood
 
 Copyright (c) 2022 Geosfera Indonesia and Department of Geography Education, University of Jember
 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share A like 4.0 International License

Web-Based Sales Information System Design At Eco Farming Bukit Lawang

In Indonesia, internet users reach 150 million people with 56% penetration spread throughout the region. This number is only slightly different from the number of mobile internet users which amounted to 142.8 million people with a penetration percentage of 53%. E-Commerce is a process of buying and selling transactions carried out by buyers and sellers electronically from companies to other companies by utilizing communication and computer networks. At Eco Farming Bukit Lawang has great potential with the existence of excellent natural products, the surrounding community takes advantage of the results. Plants that exist in the Bukit Lawang area, but become in vain because the marketing of information on the results of these plants is not good.

Comparative anatomy of the caudal fin (pinna caudalis)Tor douronensis(Valenciennes, 1842) andTor soro(Valenciennes, 1842)

Tor douronensisandTor sorowere two of the four species of the Tor genus that live in Indonesian waters. However, studies related to the skeleton of these two fish are still rarely disclosed. The aim of this study compared the morphology of the caudal-fin (pinna caudalis)T. douronensisandT. soro. The research stages include sample preparation, making skeleton preparations, image analysis, and identification of skeleton terminology.T. douronensisfish were collected from the waters of the Pagar Alam area, Lahat Regency, South Sumatra, whileT. sorowas collected from the waters of Bukit Lawang, Bohorok District, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra Province. The caudal-fin (pinna caudalis) is part of the ossa urostylus which produces optimal hydrodynamic propulsion. The caudal-fin (pinna caudalis) Genus Tor is part of theossa urostyluswhich is composed of 31 caudal-fin rays (pinnae), sixhypuralbones,parhypural,pleurostylus,epural, anduroneuralis. The ventral part ofT. douronensisandT. sorois composed of theparhypural,and the 1stand 2ndhypuralbones.T. douronensishad aparhypuralbone that was more prominent and separates from thespina hemaliscompared toT. soro. The dorsal part was composed of the 3rdhypuralbones to 6thhypural, inT. sorothehypuralbone was fused with cartilage.Os pleurostylus T. douronensishad a more prominent shape thanT. soroand there was enlargement in the posterior part. The 3rdand 4thhypuralbones onT. sorohad the largest size. TheT. sorohad threespina neuralisand threespina hemalisto support the rays of the tail. The bones that composed the caudal-fin ofT. douronensisandT. sorowere relatively similar to those of some fish from the family Cyprinidae. The results of this study could be used as an alternative to identifyT. douronensisandT. sorofrom the skeleton.

Perbandingan Indeks Keanekaragaman Serangga Di Wilayah Ekosistem Hutan Penyangga Taman Nasional Gunung Leuser Bukit Lawang

This study aims to determine the diversity index and the comparison of insect diversity index in Gunung Leuser Bukit Lawang National Park in the Buffer ecosystem area. The research method uses a quantitative descriptive approach. The population in this study were all animals classified as insects (Insecta). The samples used were insects in the buffer forest area with 3 standpoints (lines). The data analysis technique uses the Shannon–Wiener diversity index. The results showed that the insect with the highest significance index (INP) from the three lines (without stands, rubber stands, and cocoa stands) was Macrotermes gilvus, namely 91.71 (rubber tree stands), 87.54 (cocoa tree stands), and 57. 42 (without stands). The insect diversity index H' using (Shannon-Wiener Index) from the three lines without stands (-2), rubber stands (-1), and brown stands (-1) were “low”. The low diversity index of the buffer forest is because the buffer forest in Bukit Lawang is a homogeneous forest.

Primate Selfies and Anthropozoonotic Diseases: Lack of Rule Compliance and Poor Risk Perception Threatens Orangutans

Our understanding of the transmission of anthropozoonotic diseases between humans and non-human primates, particularly great apes due to their close genetic relationship with humans, highlights a serious potential threat to the survival of these species. This is particularly the case at tourism sites where risk of disease transmission is increased. We focus on the interaction between tourists and the Critically Endangered Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) at Bukit Lawang in the Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia, before and after the park was closed due to the threat of COVID-19 in April 2020. Through analysis of posts on Instagram we determine the extent of compliance by visitors with the rule to keep a minimum distance of 10 m from orangutans and assess the positional behaviours of the orangutans. Of the 2,229 photographs we assessed between November 2019 and July 2020, 279 depicted one or more orangutans. Forty-two of these contained both a human and an orangutan, and of these all showed inappropriate behaviours (direct contact, feeding orangutans, close proximity <5 m) providing direct evidence of non-compliance with the 10-m distance rule. Most of these photographs additionally showed orangutans performing abnormal positional behaviours such as being low to or on the ground rather than their natural high position in the canopy; being near the ground and in close proximity to humans increases the risk of anthropozoonotic disease transmission. As expected, we found a significant decrease in number of photographs that were posted following the closure, and a decrease in the proportion of photographs that showed orangutans, or tourists feeding orangutans. Tourists do not seem to perceive that they pose risks to the orangutans and therefore increased awareness, education and enforcement of rules by all stakeholders, tourism bodies and government officials need to be actioned in order to safeguard this important population, which is crucial to the future survival of the Sumatran orangutan.

The Development Strategy of Bukit Lawang Ecotourism and Its Impact toward Community Economy in Langkat Regency

The development of tourism area brings many benefits to the community economically, socially and culturally. This study aims to analyse the development strategy of Bukit Lawang Ecotourism to improve the community economy and to analyse the influence of community participation, education, job opportunity, institution, and infrastructure on the community economy in Langkat Regency. This study was conducted in Bukit Lawang Ecotourism, Sei Bahorok District, Langkat Regency towards Bukit Lawang tourism visitors with a sample of 99 respondents selected using a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using questionnaire and analysed using SWOT analysis and quantitative descriptive approach. The SWOT analysis revealed that the potential development strategy to use is S-O (Strength-Opportunity). It refers to a strategy using the strengths by taking advantage of strategic opportunities. It allows the implementation of strategies that support aggressive growth policies. Moreover, the results showed a positive influence of community participation, education, job opportunity, institution, and infrastructure on the development of Bukit Lawang Ecotourism in improving the community economy in Langkat Regency. Community participation and infrastructure significantly affect the development of the tourist site. Finally, the implication of the study is discussed further in this paper. Keywords: Human Resources Competence, Implementation of RMIS, Organizational Commitment, Ease of Use of Information Systems.

Vegetation structure of Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) habitat in North Sumatra, Indonesia

Abstract. Zaitunah A, Samsuri, Ras S. 2021. Vegetation structure of Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) habitat in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 635-641. Gunung Leuser National Park forest in the Bukit Lawang section is the habitat of Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii). There have been reports of the orangutans visiting the village. As some tree species are required for their sustenance to provide nests and food, there is a need to study species diversity availability in their habitat. Thus, the aim of the research was to analyze the composition and structure of the area's vegetation-this was done for the forestand mixed plantation. The sampling for the measurement of tree parameters was conducted using the line strip method. The strips (width 50 m, length 250 m) were constituted by a sub-plot measuring for seedling, pole, sapling, and trees. Within the sampling area, 181 species were found. Species within Dipterocarpaceae showed higher important value index (IVI) compared to other species in all layers. Shorea parviflora and Shorea ovalis were among the species with higher IVI in all the layers. The presence of species of Dipterocarpaceae and other species preferred by orangutans will support their quality of life. Therefore, orangutans prefer staying in the forest to entering the garden. Thus, it is concluded that their entry into the mixed gardens is related to the garden's proximity to the forest. Conservation efforts are needed to minimize the conflict between man and orangutan in the surrounding area.

Factors to Increase Tourist Loyalty in North Sumatera

North Sumatra Province is an area that has several attractions, both natural and cultural attractions. Some well-known tourist objects from abroad to foreign countries such as Lake Toba, and Mount Lawang with Sumateran orangutans. While is one of the gateways to reach tourist destinations in North Sumatra Province, including the city that has the Maimun City Palace and the Great Mosque that represents the history of the continuity of the Malay Kingdom, the Tjong A Fie House and the colonial colonial buildings that have talked about for years. This study aims to analyze and determine how to encourage tourists, destination images, and tourist satisfaction with tourist loyalty in North Sumatra Province. This research uses quantitative methods with data analysis methods. Multiple linear regression because it is based on two or more independent variables on variables, after that the data processing technique uses SPSS version 22 as a tool. This study found that the results consisted only of motivation variables which did not have a significant effect, while other variables had a significant effect on tourist loyalty. The results showed that the independent variables consisted of motivation variables (X1), destination image variables (X2), and satisfaction (X3) positively and significantly towards the variables supported by tourist loyalty (Y) visiting the tourist area of North Sumatra Province. This study obtained results consisting of the majority of visitors consisting of students aged 17 to 25 years. Lake Toba, Bukit Lawang, and Berastagi are the dominant mainstay sectors, and the level of tourist visits to the Province of North Sumatra is still categorized as low.

The Implementation of Field Trips as Edu-Tourism to Improve Students’ Speaking Ability at University Level

Field trip programs as edu-tourism in university level were viewed as the great equalizer in terms of delivering students to cultural heritage awareness. So, they had seen these experiential learning as a central of educational mission. Higher level education especially university which implemented field trip programs as supporting activities in the English for tourism lesson was gladly endured the expense and disruption of providing field trips as the primary purpose to provide a learning opportunity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the implementation of educational field trips as edu-tourism at university level. This is a qualitative study which is carried out by survey and observation. The population of this study is the English Department students of Potensi Utama University. There were 150 respondents in this research which included of 50 teachers and 100 students were randomly selected. The instrument of this study used questionnaires and speaking test items. The questionnaire consisted of 30 items. The collection of in this research were analysed by using simple percentage method. The place for field trip activity was held in the ecotourism of Bukit Lawang, which located at Bahorok sub-district, Langkat Regency, North Sumatera, Indonesia. The result of this study hoped that educational field trips are helpful to cope up with advance learning to develop students’ interest especially speaking ability.

Stand structure and carbon storage of Bukit Lawang’s tropical rain forest of Gunung Leuser National Park

Deforestation and forest degradation are the main contributors to climate change. Changes in the structure and composition of forests affect the value of biomass and carbon storages. Bukit Lawang’s tropical rainforest of Gunung Leuser National Park which has great potential is not only a habitat for key species, namely the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) but also has other biodiversity values. This study aimed to determine the vegetation structure and to estimate the value of standing carbon storage of the forest. The vegetation structure was analyzed by the line transect method and the estimation of biomass and carbon storage values was carried out using an allometric model. Distribution of diameter classes is dominated by trees in the 30-50 cm diameter class, with B strata dominated by Aglaia tomentosa tree species. The value of standing biomass is 523.2-562.2 t/ha, carbon storage is 261.6-281.1 t C/ha and the amount of CO2 gas absorbed is 960.0-1,031.6 t CO2/ha. The results indicate that it is necessary to do better forest management ecosystems in Bukit Lawang to improve and maintain the ecological and economic functions of these ecosystems in order to support the implementation of REDD + in efforts to mitigate climate change in Indonesia.

Entamoeba histolytica infections in wild and semi-wild orangutans in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Key to the success of orangutan conservation management practices is the prevention of the introduction of infectious diseases to the remaining populations. Previous reports of Entamoeba spp. positive orangutans are of concern as Entamoeba spp. infection has been linked to morbidity and mortality in primates. It remains to be determined if the Entamoeba species infecting orangutans is the pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica. Orangutan fecal samples have been collected from orangutans from sites in Sumatra (Bukit Lawang, Ketambe, and Suaq, 241 samples from 64 individuals), and two sites in Kalimantan (Sebangau and Tuanan, 129 samples from 39 individuals). All samples were from wild orangutans except for a proportion from Sumatra which were from semi-wild (108 samples, 10 individuals). E. histolytica-specific nested PCR assays were carried out on the fecal samples. A total of 36 samples from 17 individuals tested positive for E. histolytica. When compared with published sequences using NCBI BLAST the E. histolytica positive samples showed a 98-99% concordance. The majority (76%, n = 36) of the positive isolates came from semi-wild orangutans in Bukit Lawang. This study supports the growing body of evidence that contact with humans is an important risk factor for infection of wild primates with E. histolytica.

Change vegetation density analysis of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) habitat in Bukit Lawang and Sub-district of Bahorok

Gunung Leuser National Park forest in Bukit Lawang section is the main habitat of Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) in Sub-district of Bahorok. The condition of wildlife habitat in the region has been fragmented by various human activities which is the major threat to the wildlife survival including Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii). This study was conducted by overlaid some spatial data of the year 2008 and 2018 to obtain data of vegetation density changes and the range of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in Section of Bukit Lawang and District of Bahorok. Vegetation analysis was carried out in forest, rubber plantation and mix plantation in District of Bahorok as supporting data. The purposes of this study are to Get vegetation density value and analysing the changes of vegetation density of Sumatran Orangutan (P. abelii) habitat in Bukit Lawang and Sub-district of Bahorok year of 2018. The research shows that the largest vegetation density changes was decreased of high dense class which is 47,040.02 hectare or 49.9%. The largest increased was occurred in the highest dense of 43, 304.1 hectare or 46.05%.

The nutritional content of some fruits as feeding sources of Sumatran orangutans

Orangutans are classified as frugivore that most of their feeding sources come from fruits. Bukit Lawang forest (BLF) as part of Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) is known as the first center for orangutan rehabilitation (COR) established in 1973 and then closed in 1991. To date, the BLF is the orangutan viewing center (OVC). This study aimed to assess the nutritional content of some fruits feed by Sumatran orangutan (SOU) in BLF and to determine the energy adequacy from fruits eaten by SOU. The nutritional content was analyzed by proximate method. There were nine fruits from different tree species as SOU food sources analyzed in this study. According to the nutritional content, the best fruit for orangutan feed was P. lateriflora which the highest content of the fruit was water content (62.13%), followed by carbohydrate (23.81%), protein (13.72%), ash (0.21%) and fat (0.10%). This study indicated that the nutritional requirements of SOU at the BLF were categorized as sufficient. Therefore, no additional feed is needed for SOU in the area, and feeding time session can be eliminated in the OVC Bukit Lawang of GLNP.

Inventarisasi Jenis Ular di Bukit Lawang Kecamatan Bahorok Kabupaten Langkat

The purpose of this research is to know what kind of snake and to find out the condition of the environment where he found the type of snake in Bukit Lawang, Bahorok Sub-district, Langkat regency of North Sumatera in December 2017 until January 2018. Sampling with exploratory method to all areas with potential snake. The results found 8 types of snakes grouped into 4 families, 3 types of columbridae 1 type of pareidae, 1 type of viperidae, and 1 type of lamprophiidae. Environmental temperature found at snake range of 25 ° C 32 ° C Chrysopelea pelia and Boiga dendrophila found in pH 7.0 Based on IUCN Red List and CITES Appendix snake found in Bukit Lawang Bahorok District Langkat Regency into Least Concern ( LC), and does not enter into appendix III, nor III in CITES, is not protected or animals threatened to exist until it can lead to extinction. The snake is a snake that spread widely and not endemic.

The diversity of tree species as feed sources of Sumatran orangutan in Bukit Lawang of Gunung Leuser National Park

Sumatran orangutan (SOU) or Pongo abelii lives semi-solitary and arboreal as well as frugivorous which the main feeding sources are fruits. Bukit Lawang Forests (BLF) as part of Gunung Leuser National Park is a habitat of SOU as well as popular ecotourism destination in Northern Sumatra. This study aimed to assess the diversity of tree species as feed sources of SOU and to identify the part of the SOU feed trees that eaten by SOU. Vegetation analysis with combination of line and quadrat method was used. There were 181 tree species within plot samples that 81.8% of them or 148 species were recorded as feed sources of SOU. Fruits were recorded as main part of tree species (65%) that eaten by SOU. The most fruit consumed by SOU was from the family of Moraceae and Clusiaceae. This result showed that the BLF has rich tree species as SOU feed sources and the feed sources trees of SOU should be priority in restoration activities both in degraded and corridor areas.

Preferences of Sumatran orangutan nesting tree at Bukit Lawang Forests of Gunung Leuser National Park

Sumatran orangutans (SOUs) are an endemic great ape and the populations are limited distributed at the northern tip of Sumatra as well as recorded as critically endangered, globally. Forest loss and degradations are major causes of the decline of SOU populations from time to time. This research was aimed to identify the preferences of nesting trees of SOU in natural habitat as a consideration in the selection of tree species to restore orangutan habitat. Vegetation analysis using combination line transects and quadrat methods were done at Bukit Lawang Forests (BLF) of Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP). There was 4 line transects as well as 25 25m x 25m sampling plots were established in each line transects. Each tree in all sampling plots that contain orangutan nests is identified and counted. Based on inventory, there were 121 SOU nests on 58 tree species with 14 tree species classified as preferences of SOU nesting trees. Litsea firma (Lauraceae) was recorded as the most preferences of SOU nesting trees, followed by Knema latericia (Myristicaceae), Cleistanthus sp. (Euphorbiaceae) and three species of Dipterocarpaceae, such as Shorea ovalis, S. parvifolia, and S. leprosula.