Posts Tagged ‘Hutan’

May
16

The new Conservation Annual Report is here!

Posted by in community-based conservation,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,Texas

Houston Toad release

So, what has the conservation department been up to over the past year?  I am sure you hear snippets here and there about the work we do, but we wanted to make sure we had a way for people to get a full scope of what the Houston Zoo is doing around the world to ensure that the endangered species we house here at the zoo will continue to thrive in the wild.  With the help of our partners we are endeavoring to ensure the security of the planet’s biodiversity.  

 

Attwater's prairie chicken chick

Our report tells of a lot of great progress in wildlife conservation this year.  You can read about the observation of female captive bred Attwater’s prairie chickens raising their chicks in the wild.  The goal in wildlife conservation is not just to save species, we also seek to improve the lives of the local communities.   You will enjoy the story of how children in Rwanda love to dress up and learn about wildlife through plays and dance.   This report will inspire you and bring you up to speed on the depth of our efforts.   

“This report is full of human partnerships and friendships that give us hope for the future, as science alone cannot save a species“  a quote from the Houston Zoo Director, Rick Barongi.

Click here to read the Conservation Annual Report.

 

 

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Feb
07

Valentines Day Candy

Posted by in Conservation,Elephant,Endangered Species,orangutan

How is this related to Wildlife Conservation – really? Yes, there is a method and message, to our madness…

Palm Oil and The Great Chocolate Debate. It can help save the lives of Orangutans and many other species living on Borneo and Sumatra. Palm oil is a form of edible vegetable oil produced from the African oil plam tree (Elaeis guineensis) which has been planted on plantations throughout Malaysia and Indonesia, home to some of the world’s most endangered wildlife. These plantations replace tropical rainforest acreage in staggering numbers.

Rainforest? No. Palm Oil Plantation? Yes.

What we are asking you to do is to be a responsible consumer and purchase products from companies which either do not use palm oil or are part of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm oil. You can do that by taking a quick look at this Orangutan Friendly Palm Oil Valentine Guide.

To learn more about the issues facing wildlife and palm oil just link here.

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Dec
06

Exciting new Bornean elephant pictures from the field

Posted by in Borneo,Conservation,Elephant,Endangered Species,Field Research

In the state of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, the Houston Zoo has partnered with the French non-governmental organization Hutan and the Sabah Wildlife Department - both of which support conservation programs in and around the 27,000-hectare Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.   Dr. Marc Ancrenaz is the Director of the Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Project.  KOCP participates in Bornean elephant conservation.  Dr. Ancrenaz took these beautiful Bornean Elephant shots the other day in Sabah.

Secondary forests of the Lower Kinabatangan are also home to approximately 200 of the 1200 to 1500 Asian elephants believed to remain in northeastern Borneo.  Recent research indicates that they may be genetically distinct and potentially separated from mainland Asian populations thousands of years.  Today this subspecies is only found in Sabah (although some individuals roam in Northern Kalimantan), making the State of Sabah the sole custodian of a unique sub-species of elephant.

If you would like to help support Borneo’s Elephant Conservation Unit, link here for more information and follow the page down to the support button.

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Nov
09

Spotlight on Species: Orangutan Caring Weekend

Posted by in Borneo,Conservation,Endangered Species,Field Research,orangutan

Thank You for Participating in International Orangutan Caring Weekend!

Congratulations on your role in a very successful fundraiser!  We are happy to report that this year’s International Orangutan Caring Weekend was attended by 3,366 people.  Through the generosity of our donors and guests and the hard work of the employees, volunteers, and docents of the Houston Zoo, $1,915.00 was raised!

Ornaments painted by the orangs

All the proceeds from the fundraising items produced by the orangutans, elephants, siamangs, and clouded leopards for orangutans, elephants, siamangs, and clouded leopard will go to fund the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project.  The animals of the Houston Zoo have worked hard to produce these items.  Their keepers are striving to make this project work, expanding the scope of their animal care beyond the collection of the Houston Zoo.  Thank you for joining us in supporting the scientists, rangers, and teachers who have dedicated their lives to the long-term survival of the orangutans and elephants of Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.

Spotlight on Species

Thank you so much for you part in helping Houston Zoo orangutans help wild orangutans, Houston Zoo elephants help wild elephants, Houston Zoo siamangs help wild siamangs, and Houston Zoo clouded leopards help wild leopards! We hope that you are proud of your contribution to conserving space for wild animals and will continue to support this project.

Sincerely,
The Houston Zoo Primate Staff

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Sep
14

Borneo’s Orangutans

Posted by in Borneo,Endangered Species,orangutan

In the state of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, the Houston Zoo has partnered with the French non-governmental organization Hutan, the Sabah Wildlife Department, and several other zoological parks here in the United States – all of which support conservation programs in and around the 27,000-hectare Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.  This protected area was officially established in 2006, thanks in large part to the presence of Hutan’s Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project (KOCP). This project is run entirely by trained staff from the nearby village of Sukau and has been the source of significant data regarding the ecology and behavior of wild orangutans in secondary forest habitats. Selective logging has taken place in the Lower Kinabatangan floodplain at least twice in the last few decades and primate specialists initially believed that the remaining forests were no longer suitable for orangutans. Data gathered by the field research team indicate that orangutans can not only survive in previously logged forests, but this habitat can sustain significant populations. 

The Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Program includes significant priorities and goals for this region:

  • Enhanced knowledge of orangutan ecology and conservation status including the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, Ulu Segama/Malua Forest Reserve, Timimbang Forest Reserve and Eastern Sabah landscapes
  • Assessment and monitoring of orangutan population health and genetic status
  • Orangutan ecological adaptation to degraded and fragmented habitat
  • Development of policies for population management within and outside protected areas
  • Reduced level of conflicts between human activity and orangutans including improved land use and reforestation
  • Community engagement and education in the conservation of orangutans and habitat
  • Environmental education programs for Malaysian school children

Borneo Orangutan photo courtesy www.paulswen.com

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Jul
15

Orangutan Bridges

Posted by in community-based conservation,Endangered Species,orangutan,Travel

Today, one of the major threats to the long-term survival of the orang-utan in the area is the intense fragmentation process that results from these recent man-made transformations and jeopardizes animal’s movements. Recent surveys conducted by the “Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Project” (KOCP) and the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) have shown that the Kinabatangan orang-utan population is split into at least 20 different sub-populations. It is well established that fragmented and isolated wildlife populations face increased risks of inbreeding, diseases, and localized extinction.

In 2003, KOCP and the Sabah Wildlife Department decided to set up rope bridges above the tributaries of the Kinabatangan River to provide access for arboreal species to cross these water bodies. So far, a total of seven bridges have been installed. These bridges are tied up to remaining trees on both sides of the tributaries and provide a physical connection between the two banks.

This bridge project was initially supported by zoos (Cleveland Metroparks, Columbus Zoo, the Houston Zoo) and other KOCP partners. Over the years, multiple designs were tested in an attempt to find a suitable model that could be used by the orang-utans. Over the years, several witnesses claimed to have seen orang-utans using the KOCP bridges, and the first photographic evidence of this was finally obtained in February 2010.

Although the evidenced use of these bridges is a success for the KOCP partnerships/rope-bridge project, in reality, these rope bridges are only a temporary fix. There remains the urgent need to re-establish contiguous forest between isolated patches of habitat that are inhabited by the orang-utans. To be successful in a constantly changing environment, efficient conservation measures need to be undertaken at the landscape level, incorporating a variety of stakeholders and multiple-use habitats where people and wildlife live together.

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Jun
21

Saving Bornean Elephants

Posted by in Borneo,Elephant,Endangered Species,Featured,Field Research

We are excited to announce that a wild  female Bornean elephant was fitted with a satellite collar on May 26, 2010 within the Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary as part of a collaborative project between the Sabah Wildlife Department, the NGO HUTAN and the Danau Girang Field Center.

The Houston Zoo funded this effort  along with several other wildlife organizations including the Columbus Zoo, Mohamed bin Zayed Conservation Fund, Elephant Family and USFWS Asian Elephant Fund. The aim of this project is to collect crucial information on the movement of the elephants to contribute to the long-term conservation management of the species in Borneo.

The 35 year old matriach was named Sunda and the satellite data from the collared individuals will provide important information on the available suitable habitat in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary

This elephant below was collared previously during the initiation of the program in 2008-2009.

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