Habitat Fragmentation Threatens Orangutans as BKSDA Pushes Connectivity Plan
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- BKSDA East Kalimantan is working to reconnect fragmented orangutan habitats, most of which lie outside protected areas and within business concessions.
- Only 20 percent of orangutan habitats in East Kalimantan are protected, prompting efforts to build ecological corridors and prevent genetic risks.
- BKSDA says a new biodiversity law strengthens enforcement by requiring companies to protect conservation areas or face potential license revocation.
Jakarta – The Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) of East Kalimantan is working to reconnect fragmented orangutan habitats located within production forest areas, as part of broader efforts to safeguard the species’ long-term survival.
“The main challenge is ensuring full support from all stakeholders to implement wildlife-friendly conservation practices,” said M. Ari Wibawanto, head of BKSDA East Kalimantan, in Samarinda on Friday.
According to agency data, East Kalimantan spans approximately 12 million hectares, with around 4 million hectares identified as the natural range of orangutans.
The species’ roaming area stretches from the northern waters of the Mahakam River and continues southward along the land bordering the Kelay River in Berau.
However, only about 20 percent — roughly 700,000 hectares — of this ecological space is officially designated as conservation area.
This imbalance, Ari explained, forces nearly 80 percent of the orangutan population to survive in concession lands, where management priorities can shift depending on business interests.
To address this, BKSDA has begun mapping remaining forest cover to establish ecological corridors that can reconnect isolated habitats and create a more unified landscape.
“The establishment of these corridors is essential to prevent inbreeding and to maintain the genetic diversity and long-term viability of orangutan populations,” Ari said.
He emphasized that while relocation efforts to safer areas are ongoing, such measures are not considered a permanent solution to conservation challenges.
“Although encounters with orangutans in plantation areas are frequently reported, we have not recorded any cases involving armed hunting,” he added.
Ari also highlighted that the newly enacted Law No. 32/2024 on biodiversity conservation provides stronger legal certainty, particularly by imposing obligations on concession holders operating in conservation-related zones.
“Under this regulation, land managers are required to protect conservation ecosystems within their areas. Failure to comply could result in sanctions, including the revocation of business permits,” he said.
Indonesianpost.com | Antara
