Primate species on verge of extinction<\/p>\n
Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post\/Padang<\/p>\n
The population of the four primate species endemic to Mentawai
\nIslands, West Sumatra, has dropped drastically due to excessive
\nlogging in the area. They are the bilou or dwarf gibbon
\n(Hylobates klosil), simakobu or pig-tailed monkey (Simias
\nconcolor), bokkoi or Mentawai macaque (Macaca pagencis) and joja
\nor Mentawai monkey (Presbytis potenziani).<\/p>\n
Based on data collected by the World Wide Fund for Nature
\n(WWF) in 1980 on Siberut island -- one of the four largest
\nislands and home to the four primates -- the total population of
\nbilou was 36,000, joja 46,000, simakobu 19,000 and bokkoi 39,000.<\/p>\n
However, over the period of 18 years, their population
\ndrastically dropped. Based on data recorded at the Biodiversity
\nand Conservation Study Center (PSBK), Mathematics and Natural
\nSciences (FMIPA) department of the University of Indonesia in
\n1998, the bilou population stood at 8,300, joja 2,200, simakobu
\n1,600 and bokkoi 1,300.<\/p>\n
There is no data on the population of the four primate species
\non the island since then. But, according to head of the Siberut
\nNational Park Bureau, Tri Prasetyo, the total population of the
\nprimates, which could be found only on the Mentawai Islands, had
\ndefinitely dropped due to rampant logging by Natural Forest
\nConcession (HPHA) and Timber Utilization (IPK) permit holders.
\n\"We plan to take inventories of the population of the primates
\nendemic to Siberut Island next year,\" said Tri recently.<\/p>\n
They live in forested areas on four of the bigger islands on
\nthe Mentawai Islands namely, Siberut, Sipora, Pagai Utara and
\nPagai Selatan islands.<\/p>\n
However, large-scale forest exploitation by HPHA and IPK
\npermit holders on the three other islands since 1969, has caused
\ntheir habitat to shrink and their populations to drastically
\ndrop.<\/p>\n
Based on research by DJ Whittaker from the Department of
\nAnthropology at the New York City University this year, the
\npopulation ratio of the four species of endemic primates in
\nSipora was only 4.48 per animal per square kilometer (sq km),
\nwhile on Pagai Utara and Pagai Selatan the ratio was 6.8 per
\nindividual animal per sq km.<\/p>\n
According to him, the barren forests on the three islands have
\nhad an immediate impact on the conservation of the arboreal
\nprimates.<\/p>\n
It is estimated that there are no more than 100 animals of
\neach species on each island and they too are on the verge of
\nextinction because there is little protected forest left.<\/p>\n
Siberut island which measures 403,000 hectares, is one of the
\nislands in the Mentawai island chain still covered by vast
\nnatural forests where the four species live. However, forest
\nexploitation is on the rise there due to the unrestrained
\nissuance of HPHA and IPK permits by the local authorities.<\/p>\n
The Andalas Madani Cooperatives (KAM), affiliated to the
\nAndalas University in Padang, obtained a concession area of
\n49,650 hectares in 2001. The Ministry of Forestry is now
\nprocessing the forest concession permit for PT Salaki Summa
\nSejahtera which is allotted 49,440 hectares.<\/p>\n
Besides that, seven companies and cooperatives holding permits
\nissued by the Mentawai regent are operating 6,700 hectares of the
\nforest.<\/p>\n
These areas border the Siberut National Park which measures
\n190,500 hectares.<\/p>\n
\"These logging activities will have an influence on the
\ndecline of the primate populations there due to the decreasing
\nroom for their movement,\" said Tri.<\/p>\n
Tri was convinced that logging activities had caused a
\ndecrease in the population of the four endemic primate species.
\nOne of the causes was that they would be severely depressed, run
\noff and then die. Moreover, they not only survive in the national
\npark, but also in forest concession area which forms the whole
\necosystem.<\/p>\n
They are not only threatened by large scale logging but also
\nby the Mentawai people's habit of hunting and eating the flesh of
\nthe bilou, joja, simakobu and bokkoi. However, they do this in a
\ntraditional way by using poisoned blow darts.<\/p>\n
The four islands in Mentawai, including Siberut, are recorded
\nas islands with the densest primate population in the world,
\nfollowed by Taiwan with one primate species, Sulawesi with seven
\nspecies, Sumatra with one species, Madagaskar with 19 species and
\nKalimantan with four primate species.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/primate-species-on-verge-of-extinction-1447893297",
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