Canopy trail provides up-close look at wildlife<\/p>\n
By Yusran Endo Fauzi<\/p>\n
MT. HALIMUN, West Java (JP): The 100-meter-long canopy trail
\nis suspended at a height of between 25 meters and 30 meters, a
\nbridge suspended in the valley of wilderness that is Mt. Halimun
\nNational Park.<\/p>\n
If lucky, visitors will be able to glimpse a panther, or one
\nof the primates to be found in the area.<\/p>\n
The bridge is secured to the branches of Rasamala trees
\n(Altingia exelsa), which serve as support pillars at different
\npoints along the trail. There is a shelter at each branch, where
\nvisitors can rest and observe the flora and fauna below, as well
\nas the Cikaniki River flowing through the valley.<\/p>\n
The forest valley is the habitat of four primate species --
\nthe Javan gibbon (Hylobates moloch), grizzlied surili (Presbytis
\ncomata), Javan leaf monkey (Trachypithecus auratus) and long-
\ntailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis). Of the four, only the
\ngibbon and surili are regularly observed in the area.<\/p>\n
The forest around Cikaniki River was originally primary forest
\nbut has since been destroyed by wood cutters and hunters. Today
\nit is secondary forest.<\/p>\n
At sunset, the trees surrounding the trail are sleeping places
\nfor the primates, who find their diet of fruit, young leaves,
\nshoots and seeds in the area.<\/p>\n
Panthers also start to prowl as night approaches.<\/p>\n
\"But usually, while drinking from Cikaniki River, the panther
\nonly observes at which tree the prey is available,\" said Afud, a
\nlocal guide who has accompanied researchers from Japan and the
\nIndonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) for seven years.<\/p>\n
\"During the holiday season there are many visitors, so
\npanthers don't dare to show themselves. They instinctively feel
\ntraumatized by human beings who have killed so many of their
\nspecies,\" said Yusdi Permana, a conservation officer in the park.<\/p>\n
Visitors to the trail are advised to travel in a group of four
\npeople at most, and to avoid wearing striking clothing and
\nperfume, which will disturb the animals, particularly panthers.<\/p>\n
The Cikaniki research station, consisting of two houses
\nerected on stilts, is located approximately 150 meters from the
\ntrail. The station is intended to allow the study of native
\nanimal species, forest rainfall and the lowland area at the
\naltitude of 960 meters above sea level.<\/p>\n
The research station was built in 1996 in a cooperative effort
\nbetween the Indonesian government and the Japanese government,
\nrepresented by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
\nIt opened in 1998.<\/p>\n
Head of the national park Sudarmadji said there was a dilemma
\nin attracting visitors to the park.<\/p>\n
\"If tourism escalates, the gibbons, surili and deer will
\ndefinitely be disturbed and move to the submontane forest with
\nits higher location, 1,000 meters to 1,500 meters above sea
\nlevel. And yet the forest at such a high altitude provides little
\nfood for them.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/canopy-trail-provides-up-close-look-at-wildlife-1447893297",
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