Conservation of Malayan Tapirs, Tapirus indicus, in Fragmented Landscapes
In recent years, the expansion of intensive agriculture rapidly modified the land-use system in Sumatra at the expense of large areas of the country’s forests. Given this, throughout much of Sumatra, conservation must be implemented on the landscape level to ensure we manage species effectively in regions with a matrix of forest and agricultural habitats.
This project aims to ensure that Malayan tapir populations are effectively protected in the fragmented landscape of the selected study area. The project includes field research, development of best management practices and public awareness. Field research will be carried out using camera-traps and radio-telemetry. The development of best management practices will focus on conservation friendly activities in palm oil plantations and delineation of dispersal corridors for Malayan tapirs.
Public awareness activities will be used to encourage local communities, local government and private sector to collaborate with Malayan tapir conservation strategies. This project represents an innovative approach to species conservation in Sumatra.
Goals and objectives
CONSERVATION GOAL: Effective metapopulation management and conservation of Malayan tapirs in Sumatra, Indonesia.
OBJECTIVE 1 — SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Carry out a combination of telemetry and camera-trapping research needed to estimate tapir population size in fragmented landscapes and understand the benefit of these areas where tapirs are found outside of PAs.
OBJECTIVE 2 — CONSERVATION STRATEGIES
Based on our research, develop best management practices for conserving tapirs in fragmented landscapes outside of PAs.
OBJECTIVE 3 — COMMUNICATION
Ensure that pertinent institutions and conservation leaders have access to, understand, and will implement the best management practices.
Project Progress
After last year’s initial delay, YEAR 2 of our project has commenced as planned, with the initial steps taken to ensure that the following project years will result in the expected conservation outcomes.
OBJECTIVE 1: SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Carry out a combination of telemetry and camera trapping research needed to estimate tapir population size in fragmented landscapes and understand the benefit of these areas where tapirs are found outside of PAs.
In this period, we continued camera-trapping activities by rotating some of our camera traps into new locations within the study site. Our target is to get more evidence and point distribution of Malayan tapir. We have also set up a pair of tapir traps in our study area, which we identified as sites frequented by Malayan tapir during last year’s camera trapping. Our trap design (pictured below) has been previously used with success by the Copenhagen Zoo Malayan Tapir Project in Krau Wildlife Reserve, Malaysia.
OBJECTIVE 2: CONSERVATION STRATEGIES
Based on our research, develop best management practices for conserving tapirs in fragmented landscapes outside of PAs.
We are still working to finalize this objective by integrating the new information we obtain from our camera traps. By continuing to do this and by integrating our collar data in future years, we will ensure that we achieve this project objective.
OBJECTIVE 3: COMMUNICATIONS
Ensure that pertinent institutions and conservation leaders have access to, understand, and will implement the best management practices.
To ensure broad acceptance of local landowners, we conduct regular meetings with palm oil concession managers and local communities. During these meetings, our team disseminates the importance of wildlife conservation within concession areas and the importance of riparian areas as wildlife corridors. Since several areas of important riparian habitat has been damaged previously, our team has asked plantation managers to allocate land for plant nurseries that will be used to restore degraded riparian habitat.
Project location
This project is conducted in West Sumatra Province, Sumatra, Indonesia
Threatened Species/Habitat Type Targeted Species: Malayan tapir; Tapirus indicus Habitat: This project will take place in the greater Kerinci Seblat National Park landscape, adjacent to the national park boundary. The area consists of a matrix of undisturbed tropical rainforest and agricultural patches.
Kerinci Seblat is listed as a Tropical Rainforest Heritage Site (TRHS) by UNESCO and is extremely rich in biodiversity. Since camera trapping constitutes a key part of this project, information about many other endangered species will be collected, including the critically endangered Sumatran tiger, Panthera tigris sumatrae.
DOWNLOAD: NOVARINO-Malayan-Indonesia-INTERIM-REPORT-SEP16-MAR17.pdf
Team Indonesia
Dr. Wilson Novarino — Project Coordinator, project monitoring and reporting, student supervision
Dr. Carl Traeholt — Project Advisor, regional context
Ardika Dani Irawan, student — Field work and data analyses
Dwiyanto, student — Field work and data analyses
Contact
Wilson Novarino, PhD and Carl Traeholt, PhD // E-mail address: ctraeholt@gmail.com and wilson_n_id@yahoo.com // Organisation name: Andalas University, Indonesia, Copenhagen Zoo, Southeast Asia Program & IUCN/SSC Tapir Specialist Group (TSG) // Organisation full mailing address: Biology Department, Andalas University, Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia // Telephone: +62-0-813-6340-0609 // Website: http://www.biologi.fmipa.unand.ac.id; http://www.tapirs.org
World Tapir Conservation Program 