Sponsored by: The Gibbon Foundation The Wanariset Orangutan Reintroduction Project The Balikpapan Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS-F) The Balikpapan Orangutan Society (BOS-USA) In Collaboration with: The Primate Specialist Group (SSC/IUCN) The Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (SSC/IUCN) CBSG 2001 CONTENTS Section 1. Executive Summary 11 Section 2. Rehabilitation and Reintroduction Working Group Report 23 Section 3. Veterinary Working Group Report 31 Section 4. Habitat and Species Protection Working Group Report 65 Section 5. Field Research and Release Sites Working Group Report 95 Section 6. Socioeconomics and Governance Working Group Report 113 Section 7. Public Awareness and Education Working Group Report 123 Appendix I. Dissenting Opinion Piece 153 Appendix II. Gibbon Foundation Challenge 159 Appendix III. List of Participants 163 Appendix IV. Workshop Goals and Issues 175 FROM THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (Selected paragraphs) Introduction: Despite efforts to protect orangutans in the wild, prospects for their survival are the worst they have ever been. By the early 1990s, orangutan habitat was estimated to have dropped by at least 80% and numbers by 30-50% in a period of only 20 years. In 1997-98, Borneo was devastated by the worst drought and fires in almost a century, costing its orangutan population another 20-30% of its numbers and leaving only about 15,000 remaining. A recent wave of forest conversion, illegal and legal logging, and wildlife poaching has reduced orangutan numbers even further. In the Leuser ecosystem, the orangutan's stronghold in Sumatra, numbers have dropped over 45% since 1993 to leave as few as 6,500. During 1998-99, losses occurred at the rate of about 1,000 orangutans a year. In the wake of this onslaught, some 600 ex-captive orangutans are now under care in rehabilitation centers and an equal number are estimated to remain in captivity. In view of the dramatic decline in numbers of wild orangutans that is bringing the population close to extinction, and the rapid decline of their habitat, there was a recognized, urgent need to bring together the world's experts to address the threats facing the critically endangered orangutan and to identify potential solutions. In January, 2001, Dr. Willie Smits of the Wanariset Orangutan Reintroduction Project, invited the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG) to conduct an orangutan conservation workshop. The aim of this workshop, sponsored by the Wanariset Orangutan Reintroduction Project, the Balikpapan Orangutan Survival Foundation, the Gibbon Foundation, and the Balikpapan Orangutan Society-USA, was a call to action. A total of 104 participants from 12 countries gathered in Balikpapan, Kalimantan from 15-18 June to develop an implementable plan to counter the primary threats to orangutan survival and minimize their risk of extinction. These participants included scientists, field researchers, veterinarians, captive managers, funding organizations, NGOs, and government and wildlife agency representatives. The Orangutan Reintroduction and Protection Workshop Process: At the beginning of the Orangutan Reintroduction and Protection Workshop, the participants worked together in plenary to identify the major impacts affecting the conservation of orangutans (a list of these issues and each participant's personal goal for the workshop can be found in Appendix IV of this report). These issues were themed into six main topics, which then became the focus of the working groups: Reintroduction and Rehabilitation, Veterinary Issues, Habitat and Species Protection, Identification of New Field Research and Release Sites, Socio-economic and Governance Issues, and Public Awareness and Education. In addition, all groups were asked to consider the over-arching issues of: research, funding and implementation. Each working group was asked to: * Examine the list of issues affecting the survival of orangutans as they fell out under each working group topic, and expand upon that list, if needed. * Define the current situation. * Produce a summary statement describing and amplify the most important issues. * Identify root causes of the problem * Develop scenarios/strategies to address the root causes. * Specify the action steps necessary to implement each of the scenarios. Each group presented the results of their work in daily plenary sessions to make sure that everyone had an opportunity to contribute to the work of the other groups and to assure that issues were reviewed and discussed by all workshop participants. Each working group produced a report describing their topics, key issues, causes, and proposed strategies. For each strategy, action steps were developed to implement these strategies and group members took responsibility for carrying out these actions. Detailed working group reports can be found in sections 2 - 7 of this document. Summary of Workshop Results: In the final plenary session, each working group presented their top priority strategies and then the workshop as a whole prioritised these. Each participant was given three sticky dots and asked to put a dot on the strategy they felt held the most promise for effecting conservation of the orangutan. They could put one dot on each of three strategies or place all three dots on one. A small group, made up of one representative from each working group, was then convened to integrate the working group results and summarize the results of the prioritization exercise. A total of 19 key strategies were developed and unanimously accepted by workshop participants, based on the 34 most critical strategies identified by each working group. The major issues which emerged as top priorities (and the number of dots each received) are: 1. Stop Illegal Logging (60) 2. Increase sustainable economic alternatives for communities surrounding critical orangutan habitat (31) 3. Assure sustained funding for the long-term in-situ orangutan research vital for effective orangutan conservation (28) 4. Create a national campaign to instill national pride in the orangutan and its environment (28) 5. Recommend that ex-captive orangutans are only released into suitable habitat that does not contain and is geographically isolated from wild orangutan populations (21) Either directly or indirectly, all these strategies focus on what is universally accepted as the root cause of all major problems for orangutans, habitat loss. A major catalyst to habitat loss is the economic and political crisis. Among the fallouts are mushrooming numbers of ex-captives, fragmentation of wild populations and consequent genetic fragility, scarcity of appropriate release sites for rehabilitants and reduced carrying capacity in remaining wild orangutan habitat. The international group of experts assembled for this workshop have committed to take responsibility for carrying out various actions to implement the strategies outlined. Details can be found in the individual working group reports (sections 2 - 7) and are summarized below. ********************************* Conclusion: The consensus of this workshop is that habitat loss through illegal logging and land conversion is the greatest sustainable threat to the orangutan. There is no time left for further contemplation and research. Ultimately, the survival of the wild orangutan is the responsibility of the Indonesian and Malaysian governments. Unless there is the political will to commit to saving the orangutan, the orangutan will not survive. The international community shares responsibility and its support is critical in ensuring the survival of the species. WHERE TO ORDER: IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group 12101 Johnny Cake Ridge Road Apple Valley, MN 55124 PHONE: 1-952-997-9800 FAX: 1-952-432-2757 EMAIL: office@cbsg.org WEBSITE: www.cbsg.org PRICE: $35.00
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