Orangutan Habitat on the Menamang Riverbank Dominated by Young Trees

Image: article cover, from Tri and Amir (2017), Jurnal Wasian, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

A research team from the Forest Resources Conservation Technology Research Institute studied the vegetation characteristics of the habitat of the morio orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio) in the riparian forest of the Menamang River, East Kalimantan. The findings were published in the Journal Wasian in 2017. This research is important because riparian forests provide both habitat and food sources for orangutans, so the condition of the vegetation determines the survival of the population of this protected species.

The research team recorded that the vegetation at the site is dominated by young trees, namely trees with a diameter of 10 to 20 cm and a height of less than 15 metres. At the tree level, bungur (Lagerstroemia speciosa) had the highest importance value, at 24.71 per cent. At the sapling level, Fordia splendidissima was the most dominant species with a value of 29.94 per cent, while at the seedling level, Pterospermum diversifolium grew most abundantly with a value of 26.87 per cent. Species diversity of trees and saplings was also recorded as higher than that of seedlings.

For communities living around the forest, these findings show that the riparian forest of the Menamang River still provides food and movement space for orangutans, even though it is dominated by young trees. The researchers noted the need for further information on the vegetation characteristics of this habitat, given that riparian forests are vulnerable to change as a result of human activity.

Source and how to cite

This story is based on the research article Vegetation Characteristics of the Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio) Habitat in the Riparian Forest of Menamang, East Kalimantan by Tri Sayektiningsih Tri and Amir Ma’ruf Amir, published in Jurnal Wasian Vol. 4 No. 1 (2017). The full article is free to read on the Jurnal Wasian website.

Cite the original article (APA 7):

Tri, T. S., & Amir, A. M. (2017). Vegetation Characteristics of the Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio) Habitat in the Riparian Forest of Menamang, East Kalimantan. Jurnal Wasian, 4(1), 17–26. https://doi.org/10.62142/stm6ps29

If you use these findings in coursework, a thesis or other writing, cite the original article above, not this news story. The original article is licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.