Sep 17, 20 when you think of a rainforest, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the amazon, not the rainforests of sumatra. However, these rainforests, located on an island in western indonesia, are one of the largest in south east asia and are home to an estimated 10,000 plant species, over 200 mammal species and about 580 types of birds. Sumatran definition, a large island in the w part of indonesia. The book is beautiful the pictures alone are worth the purchase. Indonesia is the only place in the world you will find sumatran orangutans in their natural habitat. Rainforest treks in sumatra and sulawesi telegraph. Among the earths most stable and oldest ecosystems, rainforests have outlived many types of vegetation found in the fossil record. The rainforests in sumatra, indonesia are home to many different species, including the pongo abelii, or the sumatran orangutan 1 figure 1 and 2. Available for amazons kindle readers, rainforest animals is the first book in our animal expert series. The tropical rainforest of sumatra, is situated in the middle of the island. Deforestation caused by human activity is destroying the rainforest habitat in which the. Cause and effect of deforestation in sumatra forests.
Less than 900 miles from bali, where united nations talks on climate change are taking place, sean marron is taking on the illegal loggers whose activities are leading. Sumatra, indonesian island, the second largest after borneo of the greater sunda islands, in the malay archipelago. Gunung leuser national park, kerinci seblat national park and bukit barisan selatan national park. But from the beginning, the region has begun to be overshadowed by problems that threaten its existence. The facts about sumatran rainforest following the sumatran rainforest are indonesias natural heritage and also the world.
But under the scorching equatorial sun life pulsates at feverheat. Many species are now critically endangered, such as the sumatran ground cuckoo, the sumatran tiger, the sumatran elephant, the sumatran rhinoceros, and the sumatran orangutan. Sumatran tiger panthera tigris sumatrae mohamed bin zayed species project number 11251787. The tropical rainforest heritage of sumatra site was inscribed as a unesco world heritage. While it is in bloom, the flower emits a strong odor similar to rotting meat or, aptly, a decaying corpse. History preislamic history is often more a matter of myth than fact, but archaeological evidence suggests that sumatra was the gateway for migrating tribes from mainland southeast asia. Deforestation caused by human activity is destroying the rainforest habitat in which the tigers live. The sumatran tiger is struggling to survive on the indonesian islands.
What is deforestation, and what can we do to prevent it. October 2015 cause and effect of deforestation deforestation is a problem that does not concern many people, but it is an issue that the people of earth need to deal with. However, it is being destroyed at an unprecedented rate, with much of the forest being cleared in. Stone tools and shells unearthed north of medan indicate that huntergatherers were living along the strait of melaka selat malaka,000 years ago. Every hour, an area the size of 300 football fields of rainforest is cleared to make way for palm oil production, according to the world wildlife fund. Life history of wild sumatran orangutans pongo abelii. It comprises three indonesian national parks on the island of sumatra. Hundreds of million years ago, the islands of sumatra, java, and borneo were all connected with malaysia. The twohorned sumatran rhinoceros dicerorhinus sumatrensis once ranged through much of southeast asia.
See all 9 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. The site holds the greatest potential for long term conservation of the distinctive and diverse biota of sumatra, including many endangered species. The giant rat of sumatra hardcover november 1, 1991. The island of sumatra is the only place where tigers, rhinos, orangutans, and elephants live together in the wild. I visited this whs in september 2018 spending 4 nights in and about the gunung leuser national park in sumatra island. Sumatra has also 10 species of the hornbill, a bird noted for its enormous horntipped beak.
Tropical rainforest sumatra world heritage site pictures. The sumatran elephant is the smallest of the asian elephants. On the indonesian island of sumatra, already home to the sumatran orangutan. Sumatra rainforest institutesri is which is established on june 6, 1999 as community group organization and registered as foundation on september 2002 by indonesian notary. Sumatran rainforest remains on list of world heritage in. The climate is very much dictated by the surrounding sea and the prevailing wind system. Greenpeace campaign to protect indonesias ancient rainforest.
The leuser ecosystem is among the most ancient and liferich ecosystems ever documented by science, and is the last place on earth where sumatran orangutans, elephants, tigers, rhinos and sun bears still roam the same habitat. The existence of a large predator like the sumatran tiger is important for a healthy ecosystem with a rich variety of many different species. Sumatran tigers are the last remaining subspecies of tiger in indonesia, with the bali tiger going extinct in the 1930s, and the javan tiger in the 1970s. This book addresses the politics of environmental change in one of the richest. Sumatra and borneo animals, people and threats wwf.
When you think of a rainforest, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the amazon, not the rainforests of sumatra. Heritage of borneo bunaken national park derawan islands historical city centre. Indonesias highest volcano, mount kerinci, towers over the kerinci seblat national park, while the gunung leuser national park is the most likely. Tropical rainforest heritage of sumatra new world encyclopedia. The site comprises three indonesian national parks on the island of sumatra. The sumatran tiger project stp was initiated in june 1995 in and around the way kambas national park to ensure the longterm viability of wild sumatran tigers and to accumulate data on tiger lifehistory characteristics vital for the management of wild populations. After a long and bumpy ride from medan airport to bukit lawang and a cheap overnight stay, we left for three days to explore the tropical rainforest of gunung leuser np, camping at different places within the inscribed np. Russon is an associate professor in the department of psychology at york university in toronto. The rainforest action network ran published a study in july accusing plantation owner pt agra bumi niaga abn of growing oil palms on illegally deforested land in the leuser ecosystem, in aceh province, northern sumatra. For wildlife such as sumatran tigers, malayan tapirs, sun bears, siamang gibbons, argus pheasants, and five types of hornbills, there is a struggle for survival going on in a forgotten corner of. Childrens books and the future of indonesias rainforests.
The sumatra jungle trek with charity challenge youtube. As their habitat continues to dwindle, humantiger conflicts increase. Critically endangered, there are fewer than 300 sumatran rhinos and fewer than 400 sumatran tigers left in the wild. Orangutans live in the forests of borneo and sumatra, where they eat, rest, travel. The islands wet season arrives in october in northern sumatra and begins to affect the more southerly climate during november. This study of traditional literature in pakpakdairi, an endangered north sumatran language, is based on written and oral versions of stories.
Dec 14, 2011 we are doing so to protect endangered wildlife like the sumatran tiger and orangutan, support forest communities, and to stop climate changing causing carbon emissions from deforestation. Sumatra travel guide what to do in sumatra rough guides. Sumatra has a wide range of plant and animal species but has lost almost 50% of its tropical rainforest in the last 35 years clarification needed. The informative book is well written touching, sad, and, as always when reading about the great apes, even some humor. Youve been asked to go to the amazon rainforest to find out about the animals that live there. An explorers paradise, the vast majority of the island remains undiscovered. Sep 10, 20 the dwindling sumatran rainforest affects us all. Jul 07, 2017 a large part of the trhs lies within the leuser ecosystem, an area of tropical lowland rainforest that straddles the provinces of aceh and north sumatra and is the last place on earth where orangutans, rhinos, tigers, and elephants can be found living together in the wild.
Sumatra rainforest institute is a indonesian grassroots organisation which focuses on the conservation of the sumatran rainforest and its endangered species, rescuing wildlife in need as well as assisting local farmers to implement ecofriendly agricultural systems and technology in northern sumatra. In the past 50 years deforestation has increased a significant amount, but people around the world have been removing the forests since the 1600s. In this article we investigate the causes and effects of deforestation, and look at what is being done to stop it. Orangutans will be extinct from the planet within 10 years unless action is taken to preserve forests in indonesia and malaysia where they live. The end of the paleozoic marks the incorporation of the amazon river basin to the continent but only on the cenozoic period great transformations took place and produced something similar to where the forest is. Greenpeace, a prominent global conservation group, claimed that palm oil production was the single biggest cause of deforestation in indonesia between 2009 and 2011, accounting for about a quarter of all forest loss over that period. The sumatran population of the malayan tapir is close to extinction, with no more than fifty animals left in the wild mcclung 1997. The most immediate objective was to catalogue how many tigers and other species lived in the park using a thennew approach that relied on remote infrared cameras.
May 31, 2017 the corpse flower is a pungent plant that blooms rarely and only for a short time. Deep in the rainforest of sumatra, an experiment is being conducted which could save the worlds tropical forests from destruction. The twohorned sumatran rhinoceros shares the bleak distinction of worlds most endangered rhino with its regional cousin, the javan rhino, both species of which are listed as critically endangered. The rapid expansion of palm oil plantations in sumatra has lead to higher rates of deforestation and destruction of wildlife in the area. The sumatran rainforest will mostly disappear within 20 years by john vidal 1 in only a few years, logging and agribusiness have cut indonesias vast rainforest by 2 half. They are in forested volcanic mountains of exceptional beauty, range from coastal lowlands to highlands, and are large. Protecting tigers and their habitat means many other species benefitincluding people. Harapan rainforest in sumatra, indonesia harapan rainforest. Sumatra s forests are a last refuge for many of the worlds most endangered.
Tropical rainforest heritage of sumatra unesco world heritage. The unesco world heritage committee has voted unanimously to keep the tropical rainforest heritage of sumatra trhs on the list of world heritage in danger. The rich biodiversity of the sumatran rainforest dates back to the islands geologic history. It is separated in the northeast from the malay peninsula by the strait of malacca and in the south from java by the sunda strait. About 400500 wild sumatran tigers panthera tigris sumatrae are believed to survive in sumatra, primarily in sumatra s five national parks.
Sumatra rainforest institute sri is a indonesian grassroots organisation ngo which focuses on the conservation of the sumatran rainforest and its endangered species, rescuing wildlife in need as well as assisting local farmers to implement ecofriendly agricultural systems and technology in northern sumatra. The sumatran tiger project stp was initiated in june 1995 in and around the way kambas national park to ensure the longterm viability of wild sumatran tigers and to accumulate data on tiger lifehistory characteristics vital for the management of wild. In 1994, the indonesian sumatran tiger conservation strategy addressed the potential crisis that tigers faced in sumatra. History of the amazon rainforest save the amazon rainforest. Orangutans are shy and reclusive, and they live in remote jungle areas. Sep 08, 2014 the 500 square miles of protected rainforest are a safe haven for more than 300 bird species and many critically endangered mammals, including that precious raging beauty, the sumatran tiger.
History of sumatra lonely planet travel information. The presence of the sunda tiger is an important indicator of a forests health and biodiversity. Borneo and sumatra are the only places on earth where tigers, rhinos, orangutans, and elephants live together. The sumatran rainforest will mostly disappear within 20 years this article is more than 6 years old in only a few years, logging and agribusiness have cut indonesias vast rainforest by half. We present life history data on wild sumatran orangutans gleaned from a 32year and a 5. Orangutans face complete extinction within 10 years.
A sumatran orangutan story is taken from tales from the brink. Unique species include the sumatran pine which dominates the sumatran tropical pine forests of the higher mountainsides in the north of the island and rainforest plants such as rafflesia arnoldii the worlds largest individual flower, and the titan. Welcome to the sumatra rainforest eco retreat and nature sanctuary, the hidden jewel in this jungle paradise our 1. This, combined with their small numbers, can make the animals.
The tropical rainforest heritage of sumatra was chosen because, first, it represents significant area of forests on the island of sumatra, because of the biodiversity, of lowland and mountain forest. Youre the youngest person ever to work at the famous world museum of science and nature. Sumatra is home to 201 mammal species and 580 bird species. Sumatra offers a breath of fresh air for those travellers looking to escape the chaos of java. Deforestation of the sumatran rainforest is occurring because indonesia is the worlds largest exporter of palm oil, and to expand palm oil plantations, more land is needed 2 figure 3. Anthropological books about the tribes and peoples of the amazon are also acceptable. The sumatran rainforest will mostly disappear within 20. This once vast island of tropical rainforest has been condensed to secluded areas, in the space of 50 years. The sumatra rainforest area was first established as one of the world heritage types of natural sites since 2004. The book doesnt discuss threats to the animals too much, but logging and. The sumatran orangutan is more endangered than the borneo orangutan. The forests are home to marvelous creatures like the proboscis monkey, sun bear, clouded leopard, and flying fox bat, and endangered animals like the sumatran tiger, sumatran rhino, and pygmy elephant.
This page contains information about deforestation for kids, and is part of our rainforest series. Sumatra wildlife wild sumatra ecotourism in indonesia. Protecting indonesias ancient rainforest and the sumatran. The sumatran rainforest will mostly disappear within 20 years. As this book shows, it would be such a tragedy if they were to disappear from the wild. Unlike in india, tigers in sumatra are notoriously hard to spot, partly due to the dense rainforest environment that they live in, and partly due to their more cautious personality.
Nyhus, in tigers of the world second edition, 2010. January and february tend to be the wettest months, when tropical rainy weather can have an effect on travel plans and disrupt sightseeing. The tropical rainforest heritage of sumatra site was inscribed as a unesco world heritage site in 2004. Tropical rainforest heritage of sumatra world heritage. Rainforests around the world are being lost at an alarming rate. Amazon rainforest vote for your favorite books about the amazon rain forest and its surrounding ecosystems including the pantanal wetlands. Explore the jungle, migrate across oceans, enter frightening forests and outwit hunters.
The adventures of a planter in sumatra 1937 he reflects. Tropical rainforest heritage of sumatra indonesia these three national parks contain some of the richest and most varied of the worlds remaining rainforests, comparable with those of borneo and new guinea. Despite two more recent earthquakes in history, combined with the destruction of nearly half of its rainforest area, sumatras breathtaking tropical beauty remains its greatest tourist attraction. May 26, 20 the company, which admits to having felled hundreds of thousands of acres of sumatran forest in the last 20 years, had been embarrassed and financially hurt when other global firms including adidas, kraft, mattel, hasbro, nestle, carrefour, staples and unilever dropped products made by app that had been made with rainforest timber. In 1995, the sumatran tiger project was established to study and protect indonesias last sumatran tigers. We are doing so to protect endangered wildlife like the sumatran tiger and orangutan, support forest. Sumatra rainforest institute sumatra rainforest institute.
The sumatran rainforest is one of the last major areas of jungle left in the world. Aug 07, 2017 it is home to an estimated 10,000 plant species and more than 200 mammal species, including the critically endangered sumatran orangutan, tiger, rhinoceros and elephant. She coedited a book on great ape intelligence, reading into thought. She has been studying intelligence and learning in orangutans in indonesian borneo since 1989. Sumatran rainforests orangutan and primate habitat are being bulldozed at an alarming rate for palm oil plantations and agriculture, threatening wild populations of orangutan and other primates and endangered species. The tropical rainforest heritage of sumatra is a mountainous landscape of exceptional beauty, which forests hold many endangered species including the endemic sumatran orangutan. Many millions of years ago, in the paleozoic era, all the land was part of a unique continent, the pangaea. Road projects threaten sumatras last great rainforests. Fight to save tropical rainforests of sumatra telegraph. May 26, 20 the sumatran rainforest will mostly disappear within 20 years this article is more than 6 years old in only a few years, logging and agribusiness have cut indonesias vast rainforest by half. Most of sumatra used to be covered by tropical rainforest, but economic development coupled with corruption, oil palm plantations and illegal logging has severely. Throughout your trek you will learn to spot an astounding array of plants and wildlife and hone many rainforest skills.
A political ecology of sumatras rainforest frontier. The government has renewed a moratorium1 on deforestation but it may already 3 be too late for the endangered animalsand for the people whose lives lie in ruin. Gunung leuser national park, kerinci seblat national park and the bukit barisan selatan national park. Sumatra rainforest eco retreat relax unwind and immerse. It is predicted that global demand for palm oil will double by 2020, making the issue of sustainable palm oil production all the more important. The malayan tapir is but one of the many endangered mammals living in sumatras rain forests. Sumatran tigers have dark dense fur with narrower stripes than other species, giving them the perfect camouflage to mimic light reflection on the forest floor. Salt water washed the amazon region and possibly reached peru and bolivia. Clara brakelpapenhuijzen this study of traditional literature in pakpakdairi, an endangered north sumatran language, is based on written and oral versions of stories. Due to resemblance to primitive trees, some rainforest trees are regarded as living fossils themselves. Incredibly, with just 1 percent of the earths land area, indonesias rainforests contain 10 percent of the worlds known plant species, 12 percent of mammal species including endangered orangutans and critically endangered sumatran tigers and rhinos and 17 percent of all known bird species. Bednarski the sumatran tiger is struggling to survive on the indonesian islands. Sumatran tiger conservation case study the mohamed bin.
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