Batang Ai National Park
Asia > Malaysia > Batang Ai National Park
Summary
- Northwest bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus) are present in Batang Ai National Park.
- It has been estimated that 119-580 individuals occur in the site.
- The orangutan population trend is decreasing.
- The site has a total size of 24 km².
- Key threats to orangutans are hunting and expansion of oil palm and wood plantations in the region.
- Conservation activities have focused on education and awareness raising, and biomonitoring.
Site characteristics
Batang Ai National Park is located in Sarawak, Malaysia, bordering Indonesia to the south. The park was created as part of a hydroelectric scheme. The Batang Ai Dam is found within the park. Sarawak's largest ethnic group, the Iban, live in traditional longhouses around Batang Ai (Pandong 2019). Batang Ai National Park is contiguous with the Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, which also adjoins Bentuang-Karimun National Park in Indonesia; together, these three areas cover almost 10,000 sq. km and form a transboundary conservation area (WCS n.d.). Batang Ai National Park was established in 1991 (Pandong 2019).
Table 1. Basic site information for Batang Ai National Park
| Area | 24 km² |
| Coordinates | 1.220503 N, 111.947544 E |
| Designation | National Park |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest |
IUCN habitat categories Site designations
Ape status
Between 1999 and 2015 it is estimated that the orangutan population in the region of Sarawak, where the park is located, decreased by 900 individuals (Voigt et al. 2018).
Table 2. Ape population estimates in Batang Ai National Park
| 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 | 2004 | 119-580 | Batang Ai National Park | Line transects (Distance) | Wich et al. 2008 |
Threats
Table 3. Threats to apes in Batang Ai National Park
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Quantified severity | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Residential & commercial development | Unknown | ||||
| 2. Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1 Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Present, but threat severity unknown | Oil palm plantations continue to expand in the region (Pandong 2019). | Ongoing (2019) | |
| 2.2 Wood & pulp plantations | Present, but threat severity unknown | Industrial forest plantations growing in the region (Pandong 2019). | Ongoing (2019) | ||
| 3. Energy production & mining | Unknown | ||||
| 4. Transportation & service corridors | 4.1 Roads & railroads | Present, but threat severity unknown | High density of logging roads in the region facilitates access for hunters (Pandong 2019). | Ongoing (2019) | |
| 5. Biological resource use | 5.1 Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Present, but threat severity unknown | In 2016, the carcass of a flanged male orangutan with gunshot wounds was discovered at the proposed northern extension of Batang Ai National Park (Pandong 2019). | Ongoing (2019) | |
| 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
In 2003, the Sarawak Government legalized the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) to be the Forest Department’s operating arm in managing protected areas and biodiversity conservation in the state. Management changes included greater emphasis on reducing losses and numbers of park staff, as well as reduction in community conservation and communications in totally protected areas, including at Batang Ai National Park. The changes led to general unhappiness among the privileged communities and reduced commitment to protect conservation targets by park authorities, resulting in minimal control over illegal hunting and encroachment into the protected areas at the time.By the 2010s, there were multi-agency efforts to conserve orangutans, address the livelihoods of affected local communities and clarify agency roles and jurisdictions (Pandong 2019).
Table 4. Conservation activities in Batang Ai National Park
| 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 | 5.15. Implement monitoring surveillance strategies (e.g. SMART) or use monitoring data to improve effectiveness of wildlife law enforcement patrols | SMART patrols implemented by WCS Malaysia and the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (Pandong 2019). | Ongoing (2019) |
| 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 | 10.4. Regularly play TV & radio announcements to raise primate conservation awareness | The orangutan radio program entitled “Jerita Bujang Sigat” or “The Saga of Bujang Sigat” was developed and aired to disseminate information about the importance of the park and its ecosystem services as well as to engage local communities to conserve orangutans and other wildlife (WCS n.d.). | 2011-2012, 2018 |
| 10.5. Implement multimedia campaigns using theatre, film, print media, and discussions | An orangutan conservation education and awareness program was conducted by WCS with Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) and also with the assistance of some of the local communities (WCS n.d.). | Unknown | |
| 10.5. Implement multimedia campaigns using theatre, film, print media, and discussions | The Participatory Photography event with the theme, “Appreciating nature through pictures”, was held at SK. Nanga Delok, a primary school near Batang Ai National Park. This is a boarding school with students from different longhouse communities in the area. It was exciting to see the students becoming more aware and appreciative of their surroundings. | Unknown | |
| 11. Habitat Protection | 11.2. Legally protect primate habitat | The site was established as a National Park in 1991 (Pandong 2019). | Ongoing (2021) |
| 12. Species Management | Not reported | ||
| 13. Livelihood; Economic & Other Incentives | Not reported |
Conservation activities list (Junker et al. 2017)
Challenges
The local community is reluctant to collaborate in patrols as field guides or assistants, because of a perceived view that, as a corporate entity, SFC was focussed on reducing losses, making profit, and increasing efficiency. The perceived view by the communities was also because of reduced numbers of park staff at Batang Ai National Park and Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, removal of the staff/village rotation system of hiring local communities, and less permanent and contract staff to work at the park (Pandong 2019).
Table 5. Challenges reported for Batang Ai National Park
| Challenge | Source |
|---|---|
| Lack of trust and support from local communities | Pandong 2019 |
Research activities
Documented behaviours
Table 6. Ape behaviors reported for Batang Ai National Park
| Behavior | Source |
|---|---|
| Not reported |
External links
Sarawak Tourism Board
WCS Sarawak
WCS
Relevant datasets
References
Pandong, J. (2019). Conservation Ecology of Bornean Orangutans in the Greater Batang AiLanjak-Entimau Landscape, Sarawak, Malaysia [Master's thesis, The University of Adelaide.
Wich, S.A., E. Meijaard, A.J. Marshall, et al. 2008. Distribution and conservation status of the orang-utan (Pongo spp.) on Borneo and Sumatra: how many remain? Oryx. 42: 329–339.
Voigt, Maria, Wich, Serge A., Ancrenaz, Marc, Meijaard, Erik, Abram, Nicola, Banes, Graham L., Campbell-Smith, Gail, d’Arcy, Laura J., Delgado, Roberto A., Erman, Andi, and others. (2018). Global Demand for Natural Resources Eliminated More Than 100,000 Bornean Orangutans. Current Biology, 28 (5). pp. 761-769. ISSN 0960-9822. (doi:10.1016/j.cub.2018.01.053) (KAR id:66068)
WCS. (n.d.).WORKING TOWARDS CONSERVING ORANG-UTANS AND THEIR HABITATS.https://malaysia.wcs.org/Wild-Places/Working-towards-conserving-orang-utans-and-their-habitats.aspx
WCS. (n.d.). Orang-utan.https://malaysia.wcs.org/Wildlife/Orang-utan-conservation-in-Sarawak.aspx
Page completed by: A.P.E.S. Wiki team Date: 24/10/2021