TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) of West Kalimantan reported that 90 percent of the orangutan population is living outside preserved forests and they are exposed to conflicts with humans.

"To protect the orangutan population, we need a joint commitment to preserving its habitat," an official of the agency Lidia Lili said Friday, Jan. 25, explaining that orangutans are currently only found in the rainforests of Kalimantan and Sumatra, and some in Malaysia.

The expansion of human settlements, construction of roads to open isolated areas, and expansion of plantation and mining activities have shrunk the living spaces for orangutans, she added.

Lili believes all parties should synergize efforts to minimize the impact of human activities on the orangutan habitat.

In the efforts to preserve orangutans, BKSDA invites all stakeholders, including policymakers, non-governmental organizations, academicians, and business operators in plantation and mining, to discuss the life of orangutans in multifunctional landscapes.

"We need support from all parties, as we cannot work alone," she emphasized.

Earlier, acting Manager of Protected and Conserved Areas for Orangutan of WWF-Indonesia Albertus Tjiu noted that establishment of the Essential Conservation Area (KEE), which has been discussed by related institutions will help in achieving the national target in the orangutan and bekantan (proboscis monkey) preservation action plan.

ANTARA