Sebangau National Park
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Summary
- Bornean white-bearded gibbons (Hylobates albibarbis) are present in Sebangau National Park.
- The population size is unknown.
- The gibbon population trend is decreasing.
- The site has a total size of 5,500 km².
- Key threats to gibbons are illegal logging, illegal pet trade, and fires.
- Conservation activities have focused on habitat restoration and reforestation, fire prevention and fire-fighting.
Site characteristics
The Sebangau National Park catchment is characterised by deep peatland and low elevation. The area is flooded for 8 months of the year, and there are very few hill ridges from which gibbons can sing. In terms of habitat type and topography, study areas are representative of the rest of the catchment, though threats (e.g., land conversion, logging) are less at the Natural Laboratory of Peat Swamp Forest (NLPSF) where the bulk of studies are conducted. The Sabangau catchment comprises three different forest types: mixed swamp forest, low pole forest and tall interior forest (Cheyne et al. 2008). The park was established in 2004.
Table 1. Basic site information for Sebangau National Park
| Species | Hylobates albibarbis |
| Area | 5,500 km² |
| Coordinates | Lat: -2.475273 , Lon: 113.660560 |
| Type of site | Protected area (National Park) |
| Habitat types | Wetlands (lakes, rivers, streams, bogs, marshes), Subtropical/tropical swamp forest |
| Type of governance |
Ape status
Surveys in this area are carried out every 2 years to ensure clear population trend data. Loss of habitat due to logging and fire is an issue and impacts the conservation efforts. It is crucial to remember that while these numbers indicate that gibbon populations are thriving, the habitat loss, wildlife trade and presence of so many populations in non-protected areas means that all gibbons in Kalimantan are still endangered. There is a severe lack of data on gibbons in non-protected areas or small forest areas that may also contain viable populations (Cheyne pers. comm. 2021).
Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Sebangau National Park
| Species | Year | Total number indiv. (95% CI) | Total number groups (95% CI) | Density [groups/km²] (95% CI) | Area | Method | Source | Comments | A.P.E.S. database ID | NA | NA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hylobates albibarbis | 2008 | 2.59 | 9 sq. km | Fixed point triangulation | Cheyne et al. 2008 | ||||||
| Hylobates albibarbis | 2012-2016 | 2.51 | 12 sq. km | Fixed point triangulation | Cheyne et al. 2016 |
Threats
The apes are threatened by illegal logging, hunting for the pet trade and habitat conversion throughout the catchment (Cheyne et al. 2008). Forest fires in 2019 had a significant impact on the Natural Laboratory of Peat-swamp Forest, a special zone within the Sebangau National Park, Central Kalimantan. Following disastrous fires in 2015, this was the second major fire event in recent years. As a result of the two big fires, hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest, in one of the largest peat forest areas in Kalimantan, were burned down (Borneo Nature Foundation).
Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Sebangau National Park
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Present (unknown severity) | Offtake of gibbons for the pet trade; numbers are unknown (Cheyne et al. 2008). | Ongoing (2008) |
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.3 Logging & wood harvesting | Present (unknown severity) | Illegal logging exists across the landscape, but the extent and offtake is unknown (Cheyne et al. 2008, Cheyne & Macdonald 2011). | Ongoing (2011) |
| 7 Natural system modifications | 7.1 Fire & fire suppression | High (more than 70% of population affected) | This is an almost annual event but the severity of the fires varies and therefore the forest loss varies (Cheyne et al. 2008, Cheyne & Macdonald 2011). | Ongoing (2011) |
| 1 Residential & commercial development | Absent | |||
| 2 Agriculture & aquaculture | Absent | |||
| 3 Energy production & mining | Absent | |||
| 4 Transportation & service corridors | Absent | |||
| 10 Geological events | Absent | |||
| 12 Other threat | Absent | |||
| 6 Human intrusions & disturbance | Unknown | |||
| 8 Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Unknown | |||
| 9 Pollution | Unknown | |||
| 11 Climate change & severe weather | Unknown |
Conservation activities
The 570,000 hectare Sebangau National Park in southern Central Kalimantan is one of Borneo’s most important areas of rainforest. This tropical peat-swamp forest is the largest unfragmented area of forest remaining in Borneo’s lowlands and supports globally-significant populations of endangered species, including the largest known population of the Bornean orangutan in lowland Borneo and the white-bearded gibbon. Its vast peat deposits cover an area of 6,000 sq. km and reach depths of 15 m, making Sebangau National Park peat-swamp forest one of the largest terrestrial carbon stores in the world (Borneo Nature Foundation).
Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Sebangau National Park
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Implementing organization(s) | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Education & awareness | 4.5 Implement multimedia campaigns using theatre, film, print media, discussions | The (Borneo Nature Foundation) delivers educational sessions to local communities to raise awareness of the causes and impacts of fire, discuss alternative land clearance practices and better management of fire, and engage with stakeholders and policy-makers to develop long-term solutions. This is complemented by awareness-raising campaigns via local radio, TV and print, exhibitions, public events and social media. | Ongoing | |
| 5 Protection & restoration | 5.2 Legally protect ape habitat | The site is a National Park. | Ongoing (2023) |
Challenges
Gibbons are able to maintain a good density across habitat types and time, even in unprotected areas. Population estimates are based on known forest sizes, predominantly forest with some level of legal protection. The numbers of gibbons living in non-protected forest is a cause for concern, as it is almost impossible to extrapolate current population numbers to these areas (Cheyne et al 2008).
Table 5. Challenges reported for Sebangau National Park
| Challenges | Specific challenges | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Institutional support | 4.3 Lack of protected area status | Cheyne et al. 2008 |
Enablers
Table 6. Enablers reported for Sebangau National Park
| 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
The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project (OuTrop) program was founded in 1999; since then, scientists and conservation practitioners have been working in this area and have extensive data on gibbons, orangutans, red langurs, clouded leopards, marbled cats, leopard cats, flat-headed cats and many other species. For more information about the research activities conducted at the site, visit: https://www.borneonaturefoundation.org/scientific-research/
Documented behaviours
Table 7. Behaviours documented for Sebangau National Park
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
Exposure to climate change impacts
External links
Relevant datasets
References
ADUL, A., RIPOLL, B., LIMIN, S. H., & CHEYNE, S. M. (2015). Felids of Sebangau: camera trapping to estimate activity patterns and population abundance in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity, 16(2).
Cheyne, S.M. (2010). Behavioural ecology and socio-biology of gibbons (Hylobates albibarbis) in a degraded peat-swamp forest. In: Supriatna J, Gursky SL (eds) Indonesian Primates. Springer, New York, p 121–156
Cheyne, S. M., Gilhooly, L. J., Hamard, M. C., Höing, A., Houlihan, P. R., Loken, B., ... & Zrust, M. (2016). Population mapping of gibbons in Kalimantan, Indonesia: correlates of gibbon density and vegetation across the species’ range. Endangered Species Research, 30, 133-143.
Cheyne, S. M., & Macdonald, D. W. (2011). Wild felid diversity and activity patterns in Sabangau peat-swamp forest, Indonesian Borneo. Oryx, 45(1), 119-124.
Cheyne, S. M., Thompson, C. J., Phillips, A. C., Hill, R. M., & Limin, S. H. (2008). Density and population estimate of gibbons (Hylobates albibarbis) in the Sabangau catchment, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Primates, 49(1), 50-56.
Page created by: Susan M Cheyne Date: NA