This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Objective: To assess the impact of logging on Sumatran orangutan behavior and survival. Dr. Serge Wich, who received the 2008 WNPRC Lawrence Jacobsen Conservation Research Award, studied Sumatran orangutans with assistance from students at Universitas Nasional in Jakarta and Universitas Syiah Kualah in Banda Aceh. As a flagship species, the orangutan symbolizes the importance of the rain forest ?not only to the apes and the millions of other forest species but also to the people who live near the forests and those of us around the world affected by climate change. Providing opportunities for Indonesian scientists-in-training to become conservation biologists is crucial for the future protection of orangutans and their habitat. The scientists'research focuses on the impact of selective logging on Sumatran orangutan behavior and survival. A better understanding of logging's effect on orangutans is necessary to design reduced-impact logging systems. These managed systems might provide opportunities for the partial extraction of timber while still conserving orangutans and their habitat. While such analysis hasn't been conducted for Sumatran orangutan populations, what greatly benefits these studies is 35 years of scientific data collected at the orangutan research site Ketambe. Important information on orangutan behavior, demography, density and food availability has provided a comprehensive pre-logging database that will be compared with the post-logging data now being collected by Indonesian and non-Indonesian students in collaboration with local field staff. By comparing pre-logging and post-logging data, the researchers can identify any significant changes in orangutan behavior, feeding ecology, survival and density that have resulted from logging. These results will be important for orangutan conservation management strategies. During 2009, the researchers followed as many orangutans as possible from several age-sex classes. In addition, monthly nest counts were conducted along predetermined trails. The assessment of food availability was made each month in about 1400 trees located in 25 plots around the study area. These activities were repeated each month for 12 consecutive months. Publications are pending.
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