Well, 3 years ago I went to Borneo (Kalimantan) to met my family in there. I also went to Tanjung Puting National Park, it is a conservation park for animals that live in there, especially Orangutan. Actually, there are so many flora and fauna that we can find in Tanjung Puting, like birds or monkeys. For example, Bekantan, have you ever see Bekantan? if not, go check Dunia Fantasi or DUFAN logo! And yap, the clown that using blue red clothes is the kind of monkeys called Bekantan! Okay, but at this post, I don't wanna share my experience in there (maybe next time). I just wanna share about how important the existence of Tanjung Puting National Park for Orangutan.
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| When we went to the park, Orangutan was trying to take something in my Dad's pocket LOL |
Have you ever seen Orangutan, the most intelligent primates where they can live over 30 years? The Government of Indonesia, in 2007 study, noted that about 54.567 of 61.234, the total wild population of Orangutans, were found in Kalimantan in 2004 which categorized as critically endangered wildlife. According to the World Wildlife Fund, half of the habitat of Bornean Orangutan has been lost since 1944. Dr. Birute Galdikas and Orangutan Foundation International are instigated and aided Tanjung Puting, Central Kalimantan, to become wildlife preserve area in 1939. In 1982, it was declared as one of the national parks in Indonesia. Tanjung Puting National Park was established primarily for the Bornean Orangutan. Besides the popular purpose, there are other reasons for the establishment of Tanjung Puting National Park, such as diminishing deforestation, decreasing illegal Orangutan trade, and improving people knowledge.
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| photo sources theguardian.com // Photograph: Ulet Ifansasti/Greenpeace |
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| photo sources theguardian.com // Photograph: Ulet Ifansasti/Greenpeace |
The first cause that makes the population of Orangutan dwindles is deforestation. Deforestation is decreasing forest in a big area. Some of the purposes are to make those areas into palm oil plantation, industries area, and also transmigration housing areas. Map of Forestry Government of Indonesia showed that Indonesia has lost about 620.000 acres rainforest in every year and about one-fourth of areas have lost in the middle of 2009 until 2011 in Tanjung Puting National Park area. The analysis of Greenpeace map showed that palm oil companies have destroyed about 1.150 acres of forest in 2013. The latest news reported that palm oil companies hunted down Orangutans while they are expanding their areas. By the establishment of Tanjung Puting National Park, we can decrease destruction of natural resources, and also prevent the loss of many acres of rainforests. The government of Indonesia has an obligation to protect the preserve wildlife area. And as we know, Orangutan is mammals which live and do activities in the trees every day. But if they lose their habitat, they will disappear faster than they should be. Moreover, Orangutans will lose their food source, so they try to find food in the nearest village and make the villagers become scared. In some cases, when this happened, the villagers could kill Orangutan. By the establishment of Tanjung Puting National Park, Orangutan will have a good place to live without threateningly.
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| photo sources theguardian.com // Photograph: Ulet Ifansasti/Greenpeace |
The second reason is decreasing illegal Orangutan trade. The illegal pet trade in wildlife is one of the most serious threats to the conservation of endangered species. While Orangutan is protected by national laws and international conservation, they also prohibit the illegal trade. And today, the illegal pet trade in wildlife is the most lucrative trades, with a combined value of around $10 billion dollars annually. And it has been estimated as the world’s second-largest trade behind the international drugs trade. Estimates suggest that more than 1000 Orangutans are smuggled into Java and overseas, especially for baby’s Orangutan. A recent report by the Centre for Orangutan Protection and Nature Alert puts the number killed or captured for the illegal pet trade as high as 20.000 over the past ten years. And the other side, many villagers in Kalimantan doesn’t have enough income and knowledge. For the villagers who live in poverty, they killed Orangutan and sell the skull to get money. The other problem is the half of tribes in Kalimantan is isolated, they didn’t know that Orangutans are animals that are protected. They thoughts that Orangutans can be eat. So the tribes killed Orangutan and eat the flesh of Orangutan.
The last reason is improving people’s knowledge. With this establishment of Tanjung Puting National Park, we can educate villagers, tourist, and children as the next generation. Giving knowledge and information about Orangutan and explain to them that actually Orangutan is one of many endangered species that we should protect. As the next generation, we must protect Orangutan because every day, the amounts of their species could disappear more. And we can also explain to them that we should protect nature too. Besides that, Tanjung Puting National Park as a wildlife preserve could invite many tourists, where can also increase villager’s income. The villagers could try to be a guided tour, or become tradesman and sale souvenir of Orangutan. So, the villagers wouldn’t need to kill Orangutan.
In short, the purpose of establishment Tanjung Puting National Park is primarily to protect Bornean Orangutan, besides that, it can also diminish deforestation, decrease illegal Orangutan trade, and also improve people knowledge. And also as the human and the next generation, we also have an obligation to protect Orangutan as a wildlife animal as much as we can and protect nature too.
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