Forest Wildlife Protection Unit (ForWPU) is one of the flagship programme of Orangutan Information Centre with the aim to tackle not only poaching and hunting issues but also dealing with illegal logging and wildlife trafficking. For twenty days of a month, our patrol teams conduct the operation and dedicating their time for Leuser ecosystem, risking themselves. However, in each of the operations, they also play the most important role to conduct the biodiversity monitoring as well!
The ForWPU team collected the data on the wildlife activity
This monitoring is important as the database for the authorities to find the current state of biodiversity around the patrol area. This database can be used to monitor the status of particular protected wildlife and plants on the ground. For instance, the scrapped on the middle to the bottom of a tree is the sign of elephant’s activity that leads to the data of elephant’s herd season to the area. “See these scrapped, it looks very fresh! From this sign, we can figure out that it is elephant herd’s season around the area” said Jack, the head of ForWPU team said.
The biodiversity data will be useful to see the forest composition of the area, especially the protected species
“Personally, i have limited capacity on the endemic species identification. However, I learned so much from others. It is mind-blowing to witness countless species that particular Leuser forest’s area can have” said Edo, one of the local communities who join the patrol team. Each of the patrol operations can bring many significant impacts and important records about the current state condition of the Leuser forest. Considering the massive landscape of Leuser Ecosystem has, more and more patrol teams are needed to ensure the security and sustainability of Leuser’s ecosystem. Keep supporting our patrol team and help us to expand our patrol team!