One of the roles that the OIC HOCRU team plays in orangutan conservation is to monitor isolated areas of forest, secluded from access to a primary forest by plantations and villages. Many orangutans in Sumatra become stuck in these isolated areas, which can lead to conflict with local communities, which OIC HOCRU team has built strong relationships with over the years. It is thanks to many of the members of these local communities that we are made aware of orangutans in these areas, and without them, translocation would be a much harder process than it already is. OIC HOCRU team walks through different areas daily, to find any signs of the presence of orangutans, and survey orangutan nests.
While no rescue calls, the OIC HOCRU team walked through the plantations around the Leuser’s forest area to collect the information about the potential conflict
In order to gather information and knowledge on orangutans in areas where there is the potential for conflict with humans, nest surveys give us an idea of population sizes and movements. They trek through the dense forest, spotting nests from the ground and gather data from location to age of the nest to circumference of the tree. “It can be a boring job as we have to walk miles, get bitten alive by impossible numbers of mosquito and sometimes without no result at all,” said Rudy, one of the OIC HOCRU team member.
Rudy pointed to one of the old nests he found on this monitoring
OIC HOCRU team is not only about action, danger, and tension. It can be also demanding patience and intelligence upon anything related to an orangutan. This kind of monitoring might be a boring activity for many people but the information is significant to find the possibility of the presence of an orangutan in need. Keep supporting our OIC HOCRU team.