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Asia > Malaysia > Semenggoh Nature Reserve
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Summary
- Northwest Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus) are present in Semenggoh Nature Reserve.
- 27 individuals occur in the site.
- The orangutan population trend is stable.
- The site has a total size of 6.53 km².
- Key threats to orangutans are habitat encroachment and hunting.
- Conservation activities have focused on orangutan rehabilitation, ecotourism, raising awareness and education.
- Semi-wild orangutans inhabit the site.
Site characteristics
The nature reserve is located in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, in the northwest of Borneo. The site was first designated as a Forest Reserve in 1920 and subsequently used as a botanical research plot (SFC). In 1975 the Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre was established as part of the reserve, with the aim of rehabilitating orangutans and other wildlife species in Sarawak (SFC). Semenggoh Forest Reserve was declared as Semenggoh Nature Reserve in 2000. In the same year, the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre was renamed as the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre. The name is derived from the Semenggoh river, which runs through the reserve. Semi-wild orangutans inhabit the site; they spend most of the time roaming freely in the forest, but occasionally visit feeding platforms that are provisioned daily. In addition to orangutans, the site is also home to giant squirrels, pygmy squirrels, gibbons and a wide variety of birds (SFC).
Table 1. Basic site information for Semenggoh Nature Reserve
| Species | Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus |
| Area | 6.53 km² |
| Coordinates | Lat: 1.392031 , Lon: 110.299506 |
| Type of site | Protected area (Nature Reserve) |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest |
| Type of governance |
Ape status
Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Semenggoh Nature Reserve
| Species | Year | Abundance estimate (95% CI) | Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI) | Encounter rate (nests/km) | Area | Method | Source | Comments | A.P.E.S. database ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus | 2016 | 27 | Semenggoh Nature Reserve | Full count | Tisen & Silang 2016 | ||||
| Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus | 2023 | 29 | Semenggoh Nature Reserve | Full count | Azizi Bin Ahmad Zaini pers. comm. 2023 |
Threats
Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Semenggoh Nature Reserve
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Residential & commercial development | 1.1 Residential areas | High | Habitat encroachment due to housing developments around the site, which also increase forest fragmentation (Ali 2021). | Ongoing (2021) |
| 2 Agriculture & aquaculture | Unknown | |||
| 3 Energy production & mining | Unknown | |||
| 4 Transportation & service corridors | Unknown | |||
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Present, but threat severity unknown | Poaching (Ali 2021). | Ongoing (2021) |
| 6 Human intrusions & disturbance | Unknown | |||
| 7 Natural system modifications | Unknown | |||
| 8 Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | 8.4 Pathogens | Present, but threat severity unknown | Risk of infection due to human presence, including Covid-19 (Ali 2021), and pulmonary diseases (Azizi Bin Ahmad Zaini pers. comm. 2023). | Ongoing (2023) |
| 9 Pollution | Unknown | |||
| 10 Geological events | Absent | |||
| 11 Climate change & severe weather | Unknown | |||
| 12 Other threat | Absent |
Conservation activities
A rehabilitation program for orangutans was created at the site in 1975. By 1990 there was a growing population of semi-wild orangutans. Due to the small size of the site, the rehabilitation program was moved to Matang Wildlife Centre in 1998. The wildlife centre is active in conservation awareness and education for schools and the public (Tisen & Silang 2016).
Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Semenggoh Nature Reserve
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Implementing organization(s) | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Counter-wildlife crime | 2.3 Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols | Regular patrols to monitor orangutans, secure the reserve from trespassing and poaching (Azizi Bin Ahmad Zaini pers. comm. 2023). | Ongoing (2023) | |
| 3 Species health | 3.3 Limit time that researchers/tourists are allowed to spend with habituated apes | Tourists are only allowed to watch orangutans twice a day for two hours each time (Azizi Bin Ahmad Zaini pers. comm. 2023). | Ongoing (2023) | |
| 3 Species health | 3.10 Treat sick/injured apes | In case of illness/injury, a veterinarian is available (Azizi Bin Ahmad Zaini pers. comm. 2023). | Ongoing (2023) | |
| 4 Education & awareness | 4.1 Educate local communities about apes and sustainable use | The wildlife centre is active in nature and wildlife awareness programs for schools and the public (SFC). | Ongoing | |
| 5 Protection & restoration | 5.2 Legally protect ape habitat | The site is a nature reserve. | Ongoing (2023) | |
| 6 Species management | 6.9 Rehabilitate injured/orphaned apes | Care of orangutans that have been injured in the forests, orphaned or kept illegally as pets. After rehabilitation, the animals would eventually be released back into the wild (SFC). | 1975-2000 | |
| 6 Species management | 6.4 Provide supplementary food for apes | Supplementary food is provided everyday twice a day (Azizi Bin Ahmad Zaini pers. comm. 2023). | Ongoing (2023) | |
| 8 Permanent presence | 8.2 Run tourist projects and ensure permanent human presence at site | The site is open to tourists and offers ecotourism activities (SFC). | Ongoing (2023) |
Challenges
Ecotourism at the site brings both benefits and challenges; the main challenge is to ensure large numbers of tourists stay at the permitted distance from orangutans in the occasions when orangutans appear by the road in the reserve and not on the feeding platforms (Azizi Bin Ahmad Zaini pers. comm. 2023).
Table 5. Challenges reported for Semenggoh Nature Reserve
| Challenges | Specific challenges | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Institutional support | 4.1 Lack of law enforcement | (Azizi Bin Ahmad Zaini pers. comm. 2023). |
Enablers
Table 6. Enablers reported for Semenggoh Nature Reserve
| Enablers | Specific enablers | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Site management | |||
| 2 Resources and capacity | |||
| 3 Engaged community | |||
| 4 Institutional support | |||
| 5 Ecological context | |||
| 6 Safety and stability |
Research activities
A few studies have been conducted on the ecology and behavior of orangutans at Semenggoh, e.g., Wesley (2001) on the activity budget on orangutans, and Mohd-Rahmantullah (2001) on nesting ecology.
Documented behaviours
Table 7. Behaviours documented for Semenggoh Nature Reserve
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
Exposure to climate change impacts
External links
Relevant datasets
References
Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC). (n.d.). Semenggoh Nature Reserve. Online: https://semenggoh.my/about-us/
Tisen, O.B. & Silang, S. (2016). Orangutan Conservation in Sarawak, Malaysia.15th National Peat Congress, 2016; Sarawak Forestry Corporation, Sarawak, Malaysia. Abstract No: A-394.
Mohd-Rahmatullah, M. H. (2001). Nesting ecology of semi-wild orangutans at Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Sarawak. Thesis (undergraduate), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan.
Wesley, M. N. (2001). Activity budget of mother-infant pairs of semi-wild orangutans at Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Thesis (undergraduate) Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan.
Ali, N.S. (2021, Oct., 2). Not just survival of the fittest for orangutans in Sarawak reserve. Malaysia Now. https://www.malaysianow.com/news/2021/10/02/not-just-survival-of-the-fittest-for-orangutans-in-sarawak-reserve/
Page created by: Muhammad Azizi Bin Ahmad Zaini & A.P.E.S. Wiki team Date: NA