Sumatra's rare species threatened

Sumatra's rare species threatened

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Parapat, North Sumatra

Ninety local and foreign environmentalists warned against the
possible extinction of a total of 226 flora and fauna species in
Sumatra because of intensive deforestation and development, and
rampant poaching.

According to the environmentalists, the government has no
alternative but to review its environmental policy to save the
rare species, otherwise the large island, which is known for its
rich biodiversity worldwide, would witness an environmental
catastrophe over the next five years

The environmental experts and activists, some from India, the
Netherlands, Japan and Britain, convened here for five days for a
meeting jointly sponsored by International Conservation and the
Leuser Management Unit to assess the conservation program and
management plan in Sumatra.

Barita Oloan Manullang, a senior species-conservation
specialist, confirmed that during the five-day meeting that ended
on Friday, the experts and activists identified 90 species of
flora and 176 species of fauna which were under threat of
extinction. The list would be handed over to the Indonesian
government for further action.

"We have no powers but a deep concern for Sumatran
biodiversity, which, if not conserved, will disappear in a
relatively short time. The government has the authority to
enforce the law and to make environmental policy," he said,
adding that the meeting had concluded that the threats had
reached alarming levels.

Barita said that the Sumatran forests were home to tens of
thousands of Sumatran tigers, rhinos and elephants ten years go
but at the present, the number of individuals belonging to the
protected species was little more than 2,000, scattered
throughout the remaining forested areas along the Bukit Barisan
mountain range stretching from Aceh to Lampung.

"The number of Sumatran tigers and elephants remaining is
little more than 2,000, while the number of Sumatran rhinos is
less than 50. The latter are only found in national parks in
Riau, Bengkulu and Lampung," he explained, saying that rare
reptiles and amphibians like the Sumatran Iguana had already
disappeared.

Elisabeth Widjaya, an environmental researcher from the
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), said that over the last
two years as many as 44 species of flora had become extinct while
18 others were under threat of extinction.

"The flora species facing extinction include what is locally
known as rukam and bamboo, which were both easily found on the
mainland several years ago," she said.

Barita blamed the extinction of the rare species on rampant
poaching, logging, forest overexploitation and increasing
development activities.

"The government must pay proper attention to these rare
species. Otherwise, they will certainly become extinct over the
next five years.

"The government must take action against individuals,
companies or any institutions found guilty of destroying the
environment, and it must review all laws threatening the flora
and habitats of rare fauna in forest areas on the island," he
said.

He also urged the government to set up a single authority, to
handle environmental and biodiversity conservation, instead of
numerous ministries as at present, so that the issuance of
conflicting regulations and rulings on the environment could be
avoided.

Human activities threatening flora ad fauna in Sumatra:

1. Road projects traversing the Gunung Leuser National Park in
Aceh

2. Rampant illegal logging in numerous national parks in Sumatra

3. Intensive conversion of forests into farmland and plantations
in Riau, South Sumatra, Lampung and Bengkulu

4. The granting of government-protected forest areas to farmers
in Lampung

5. Rampant poaching of rare species in national parks for trading
on the international black market