CHARACTERISTIC OF ORANGUTAN HABITAT IN COAL MINING REHABILITION AREA IN EAST KALIMANTAN, INDONESIA
ABSTRACT: The majority of wild
orangutans are found outside of the protected areas, including in coal mining
areas which generally overlapping with orangutan habitat. Thereby, mining
ensured a direct impact on orangutans. Opportunities orangutans to survive in
the mining area depends on various factors, one of them is the ability of
orangutan to adapt to habitat change. We investigated habitat characteristics
in the coal mining area consist of land cover types, species composition, and
the structure of vegetation. Data were collected from April to September 2014
in the coal mining rehabilitation area (CMRA) of PT KPC in East Kutai. Mining caused
the natural habitat fragmented into smaller patches in the form of CMRA and
natural forests remaining. The forest stand in CMRA compiled by the small trees
of the same species and age class. It caused the canopy is not always continue.
Food trees and nest trees were limited in CMRA. Exotic species dominated in
CMRA, namely: Senna siamea, Falcataria moluccana, and Senna surattensis. CMRA
is not the good habitat for orangutan if seen from the aspect of either
structure or vegetation composition. The quality of habitat can be improved by
modifying the structure and vegetation composition, build the ecosystem
corridors, increase public awareness, and involve various stakeholders at the
landscape level.
KEYWORDS: Pongo pygmaeus
morio; forest structure; food tree; nest tree; conservation
Author: Liza Niningsih, Hadi
Sukadi Alikodra, Sri Suci Utami Atmoko, Yeni Aryati Mulyani
Journal Code: jpkehutanangg170006
