Javan gibbon ecological study and Monitoring,in Sokokembang forest.

recording the gibbon calls

A longterm study about Javan gibbon and its ecology we called “Javan gibbon remote monitoring network” have been initiated in Sokokembang forest, Central Java, Indonesia. The Javan gibbon with their unique behavior have been studied, by its calling behavior for population monitoring. The specific aim is to provide scientific information on Javan gibbon acoustic behavior,  to know their population dynamic and we will use this result to raise conservation awareness,  broadcast the recorded calls  and other  rainforest  sound recording to world wide through the website.

Starting at March 2014 we have set a tree house for javan gibbon monitoring, and monitoring activities conducted monthly in four consecutive days. Set of directional microphone and smartphone have been used to record calling of the gibbon. Here for example of the result :

recording equipments

Participatory Biodiversity Mapping, at Javan gibbon’s village, Kayupuring, Central Java, Indonesia

One of the problems to raise awareness about forest and primate conservation in Javan gibbon’s habitat are very limited information even more there is no baseline species diversity, ecology, spatial location and conservation status of the protected species. All these information are useful if we use to talk with people in the village to motivate them to conserve their biodiversity actually. The specific aim of this activities are to mine information about biodiversity especially wildlife that usually found in Kayupuring village area’s based on community knowledge and their field observation, and we add more detail information on their basic ecology and its conservation status, then we present on the village biodiversity map.

This program is a part of Our Coffee and Primate Conservation Project that funded by Fortwayne Children Zoo and Singapore Zoo, cooperation with Wildlife Lab, Forest Resource Conservation Dept, Faculty of Forestry, Gadjah Mada University, of Yogyakarta. Located at Kayupuring village, on 17-19 June 2014, we have meeting series and guided by GIS expert from the university to discuss about wildlife that usually found in their village and forest, than we ask them to describe as clear as possible based on their field observation and we match this information to the field guide book as scientific clarification. And finally we use Google earth, to map wildlife encounter by the villagers.

Participants of Participatory biodiversity Mapping

GIS experts and wildlife ecologist from Gadjah Mada University giving a talk.

The 2nd Primate Survey Training, Sokokembang 9-11 June 2014

This activities was initiated last year in 2013, where we realize that primate conservation should be based on scientific information. And actually there is a problems to conserve endangered primate and its habitat in central java , that we lack of capacity and knowledge about primate survey method. 

Thus , the training aims are :1 to raise and encourage young primate researchers and conservationist in central Java. 2. To enhance knowledge and technical experience on field primate survey. 3. To establish professional network among young primatologist in central java.

Totally 21 participants,  were joint in 3 days training in Sokokembang (see photo.1), they are come from university students, forestry government staff ,Journalist, and local NGO  from surrounding javan gibbon habitat in central java

2014 training participants 

In this training, we introduce two methods that can be applied in the  field for primate survey training, i.e “line transect” and “vocal count-triangulation” especially for gibbon survey. The training including room discussion, field practice (data collection) and its data analysis.

During the training we also received coverage from national newspaper, and published at  11 June 2014 (photo.2).

newspaper coverage about the primate survey training in Sokokembang forest