Sumatra Bike-Ride for Orangutans - En. Tempo. Co

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Animal protection charity organization ProFauna Indonesia launched a campaign for the conservation of orangutans titled 'Ride for Orangutan' in Malang, last Sunday, April 7. Four ProFauna activists will undertake a 7,000-kilometer journey on dirt bikes through Sumatra. The bikers are Made Astuti, Nyomi Andriani, Rosek Nursahid, and Rody Basuki.

"I'm happy to persuade and urge people to preserve orangutans and their habitats," said spokesperson of the Ride for Orangutan, Made Astuti.

Among the riders, two of the activists are women. They are Made Astuti from Malang, East Java, and Nyomi Andriani from Sidoarjo, East Java. They will begin the journey on 20 April from Jakarta through Sumatra and end up in Banda Aceh in May.

The Ride for the Orangutan team will be sponsored by ProFauna supporters actor Mathias Muchus and the Indonesian band Slank. Slank has been a supporter of ProFauna Indonesia’s active campaigns and wild animal conservation programs since 2002. Senior actor Mathias Muchus on the other hand is the ambassador of ProFauna for forest conservation.

Made, as a mother of two, admits that the campaign and adventure ahead will be challenging. Her campaign has the support of automotive communities in Sumatra. During the trip, the team will stop by schools and universities for campaigning and to offer education about the conservation of orangutans.

Pro Fauna has drawn support from Lampung, Jambi, Palembang, and Medan and will offer assistance to the team in every place that they stop.

The four bikers will be aided by another team following them in a four-wheel drive car. They include ProFauna supporters Suparno (Malang), Radius Nursidi (Bandung), Aven (Jakarta), Asti (Malang), and Bayu Sandi (Malang).

ProFauna data show that the orangutan population continues to drop every year. Sumatran orangutans can be found in the provinces of North Sumatra and Aceh. The largest concentration of orangutans is in West Leuser with 2,508 orangutans, East Leuser with 1,052, and Rawa Singkil with about 1,500 orangutans.

Meanwhile, the population that’s projected to be able to live sustainably for a long period is the one in Batang Toru. Currently, there are about 6,000 orangutans left in Sumatra. The continuous decline in population is due to the destruction of low area forests that are their main habitat, and also poaching activities. “Orangutan habitats are increasingly threatened,” said ProFauna Indonesia director Rosek Nursahid.

The orangutan is a protected animal by law and cannot be traded or owned as pets. A 1990 law about the conservation of natural resources and ecosystems states that poachers can face up to five years in prison and a fine of Rp100 million.

When forests are transformed into palm oil fields the natural habitat of orangutans is significantly curtailed. In many cases, orangutans are hunted down as they are regarded as pests. Their habitats split into small areas and this threatens their ability to survive. 

EKO WIDIANTO