KUCHING: Recent reports and sightings have confirmed the flourishing population of wild orangutans in Sarawak’s Totally Protected Areas (TPAs), providing a significant boost to conservation efforts in the region.
This encouraging news demonstrates the effectiveness of the state’s wildlife protection measures and reaffirms Sarawak’s commitment to biodiversity and ecological sustainability.
In a Facebook post, the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) shared a recent video captured in late May 2024, showcasing a rare sighting of a wild orangutan with its baby deep within the Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary.
According to SFC, the footage was taken by SFC staff and Wildlife Guardians, composed of local community members, and army and police veterans, during field research and patrolling activities. These dedicated individuals played a crucial role in conservation efforts, funded by the Ecological Fiscal Transfer (EFT) funds.
“SFC has also collected numerous camera-trap images of orangutans walking on the forest floor in projects such as Batang Ai National Park and Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary. These collaborations with the renowned Smithsonian Institute under the RIMBA project have provided valuable insights,” the statement read.
SFC further mentioned that the captured images have been cataloguing orangutan behaviour since November 2016, and the work continues, particularly in studying the biodiversity of the areas surrounding the wildlife sanctuary.
In addition to the sighting at Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary, the SFC highlighted a significant milestone in the ongoing conservation project. In November 2016, an image of a mother orangutan with her young marked a noteworthy moment.
Moreover, in early 2024, a rare occurrence of twin orangutans with their mother was observed at Batang Ai National Park, gaining global attention when it was posted on February 29, 2024.
The Bukit Lesong-Seduku area has also reported frequent orangutan sightings, including a large male spotted by local communities.
Lingga assemblywoman Dayang Noorazah, cited by SFC, proudly reported the support of her constituents in these conservation efforts.
“It gives me great pride to inform you that some villagers saw a large male in the forest around Seduku. May he continue to thrive and contribute to the repopulation of the Sebuyau-Sedilu-Lesong landscape.
“I will always support biodiversity, as this landscape is famous for being one of the journeys conducted by Alfred Wallace,” she was reported as saying.
SFC also quoted Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration, and Environment (MUDeNR) Datuk Len Talif Salleh, expressing his satisfaction with these positive developments.
“Our Totally Protected Areas are designed to preserve biodiversity, and we are delighted to see the iconic orangutans thriving.
“We hope to share more images with the world, contributing to the prevention of the Sixth Extinction and aligning with Sarawak’s green economy goals as part of the Post-Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030,” he stated.
