Kubah National Park (Matang Wildlife Centre)
Asia > Malaysia > Kubah National Park (Matang Wildlife Centre)
Summary
- Northwest Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus) are present in Kubah National Park (Matang Wildlife Centre).
- The population size is unknown.
- The orangutan population trend is decreasing.
- The site has a total size of 22.3 km².
- Key threats to orangutans are hunting and logging.
- Conservation activities have focused on ecotourism and rehabilitation of orangutans.
Site characteristics
Kubah National Park was gazetted in 1989 and opened to the public in 1995 (Abu Bakar et al. 2021). The site is situated on a sandstone plateau, where three mountains, Gunung Serapi, Gunung Selang and Gunung Sendok, are found (STB n.d.). Hardened limestone formations have created numerous waterfalls. The park is mostly covered by mixed dipterocarp forest, but it also holds a wide diversity of palms and orchids (STB n.d.). It is estimated that more than 100 palm species are found in the park and surrounding forests (Abu Bakar et al. 2021). Animal species found here include the bearded pig, mouse deer, black hornbill and many species of amphibians and reptiles. One of the main attractions of the park is the presence of carnivorous pitcher plants. Also located within the park is the Matang Wildlife Centre, which is a large enclosed area of rainforest with captive animal facilities (Mohd Azlan, Pail & Silang 2015). Matang was established to conserve endangered species of wildlife in Sarawak, including orangutans, which are rehabilitated and released (Mohd Azlan, Pail & Silang 2015).
Table 1. Basic site information for Kubah National Park (Matang Wildlife Centre)
| Area | 22.3 km² |
| Coordinates | 1.586520 N, 110.172872 E |
| Designation | National Park |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest |
Ape status
Table 2. Ape population estimates in Kubah National Park (Matang Wildlife Centre)
| 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 |
Threats
Table 3. Threats to apes in Kubah National Park (Matang Wildlife Centre)
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Unknown | ||||
| 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 | Illegal hunting facilitated by the presence of logging roads within the forests (Tisen & Silang 2016). | Ongoing (2016) | |
| 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | Present, but threat severity unknown | Intensive logging in Sarawak started in the early 1970s (Tisen & Silang 2016) | Ongoing (2016) | ||
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Unknown | ||||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Unknown | ||||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Unknown | ||||
| 9. Pollution | Unknown | ||||
| 10. Geological Events | Absent | ||||
| 11. Climate change & severe weather | Unknown | ||||
| 12. Other options | Absent |
Conservation activities
The Matang Wildlife Centre (MWC) was established in 1998. The centre is within the tropical forest of Kubah National Park with a total area of approx. 2,200 ha. Since 1998, the function of orangutan and other wildlife rehabilitation activities have been carried out at the centre. The centre initially started with 4 orangutans transferred from Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (SWC). Since then, all newly confiscated orangutans have been sent to Matang Wildlife Centre. To date, the centre has trained orangutans and released them to the forest area within the Kubah National Park. Only a few orangutans occasionally return back to the centre for supplementary food; the others have not returned, but signs of them (e.g. old nests) have been seen where they were released (Tisen & Silang 2016).
Table 4. Conservation activities in Kubah National Park (Matang Wildlife Centre)
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Not reported | ||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | Not reported | ||
| 3. Energy production & mining | Not reported | ||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | Not reported | ||
| 5. Biological resource use | Not reported | ||
| 6. Human intrusion & disturbance | Not reported | ||
| 7. Natural system modifications | Not reported | ||
| 8. Invasive & other problematic species, genes, diseases | Not reported | ||
| 9. Pollution | Not reported | ||
| 10. Education & Awareness | Not reported | ||
| 11. Habitat Protection | 11.2. Legally protect primate habitat | The site is designated as a National Park. | Ongoing |
| 12. Species Management | 12.24. Rehabilitate injured/orphaned primates | Rehabilitation of orphans at Matang Wildlife Centre, found within Kubah National Park. (Tisen & Silang 2016). | Ongoing |
| 13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | 13.4. Run tourist projects and ensure permanent human presence at site | Kubah National Park, and the Matang Wildlife Centre located inside the park, receive visitors. and has an adoption programme to raise funds for orangutan conservation (Sarawak Forestry Corporation). | Ongoing |
Challenges
Table 5. Challenges reported for Kubah National Park (Matang Wildlife Centre)
| Challenge | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
Research activities
A study on orangutans at Matang Wildlife Centre has shown their importance as both seed dispersers and predators (Mohd Azlan, Pail & Silang 2015).
Documented behaviours
Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Kubah National Park (Matang Wildlife Centre)
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Fruit-processing behavior (swallowing, spitting and masticating) | Mohd Azlan, Pail & Silang 2015 |
External links
Relevant datasets
References
STB. (n.d.). Kubah National Park. Online: https://sarawaktourism.com/attraction/matang-wildlife-centre/
Mohd-Azlan, J., Pail, T., & Silang, S. (2015). A preliminary study of fruit handling by captive Borneo orangutans Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus and the effects on seed germination.Asian Primates Journal, 5,40–44.
Abu Bakar, N. A., Marikan, D. A. A., Edman, S., & Ali, D. H. A. (2021). Non-Visitors’ Attitude Towards Kubah National Park’s Roles and Functions. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(1), 515–527.
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.
Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki team Date: 24/10/2021