Tapanuli Orangutans need multi -parties collaboration and long -term commitment

VIRALTERKINI.ID, BOGOR – Wilderness Foundation in collaboration with PT. Agincourt Resources, Study Program (Study Program) of the Postgraduate School Management of Pakuan University and LPPM Pakuan University held Episode 13 Learning Series (BLS EPS.13) activities with the theme “Opportunities in Coexistence in Tapanuli Orangutan Conservation Efforts” on Thursday, September 4, 2025.

BLS EPS. 13 Luring is centered on the 3rd floor Auditorium of the Pakuan University Postgraduate School Building in Bogor, while online through the Zoom and Live Streaming of Youtube Foundation applications. More than 780 participants participated actively in the activities that were held in a hybrid manner.

This activity was also supported by the Indonesian Orangutan Conservation Forum (Forina) and the National University Primates Research Center as well as cooperating with six universities as collaborators who held the “Watch and Learning Together” event BLS EPS.13 for students and lecturers at each university. The six universities are Pakuan University, Riau University, Andalas University, Jakarta State University, Nusa Bangsa University and Tanjungpura University.

In 2023, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) had published a guide document about the conflict and coexistence of wild humans. The main objective is to explain various comprehensive and effective steps that must be considered before the application of the handling of conflict and coexistence of wild humans. Another goal is to provide input on what steps can be used in managing conflict and coexistence of wild humans.

Indonesia is one of the countries “Biodiversity Country” which has high biodiversity so that it becomes a home for various types of unique and charismatic wildlife, one of which is Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo Tapanuliensis). Director of Conservation and Genetic, Directorate General of KSDAE of the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry, Nunu Anugrah, S.Si., M.Sc., when giving Keynote Speech explained that the challenges of orangutan preservation including Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo Tapanuliensis) were quite complex and involved various factors, both caused by human activities and natural change. Some of the main challenges are fragmentation and narrowing of habitat, hunting and illegal trade, population isolation and genetic risk of disease, awareness and education, and conflict with humans.

“Responding to this phenomenon, the Indonesian government has protected Tapanuli Orangutans legally through the Minister of Environment and Regulation No. P.106/Menlhk/Setjen/KUM.1/12/2018, and various initiatives have been carried out to encourage coexistence between humans and Tapanuli orangutans, such as habitat restoration, protection and security of population and habitats, Orangutan habitat, supervision and law enforcement, as well as publication and public education, “said Nunu.

At the same time, Main Expert Researcher, Brin Applied Zoological Research Center, Dr. Wanda Kuswanda, M.Sc., in Keynote Speechnya revealed that the Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo Tapanuliensis) was a large ape species that had been separated from Sumatran Orangutans (Pongo Abelii) at the end of 2017. According to the Red List of IUCN, Tapanuli Orangutan is critical or very threatened because its habitat is limited only in the Batangtoru forest, South Tapanuli in North Sumatra. Based on the Strategy Document and Conservation Action Plan (SRAK) of the 2019-2029 Indonesian Orangutan, the Tapanuli Orangutan population is estimated at 577-760 individuals.

Furthermore, Wanda, Tapanuli Orangutan can only be found in the Batangtoru forest which includes three districts, namely North Tapanuli, Central Tapanuli, and South Tapanuli, North Sumatra Province. The area of ​​Batangtoru landscape is estimated at 240-280 thousand hectares and the habitat of Tapanuli orangutan is only around 138,435 ha (49%) and separately in three habitat blocks. Tapanuli orangutans really like cultivation plants planted by the community so that they can cause conflict.

“Efforts to mitigate conflicts between humans and orangutans Tapanuli must be a multi -party priority. Basic principles in conflict mitigation are safety for humans and tapanuli orangutans. Conflict mitigation can be done to reduce or erase the risk of loss and victims that may occur on both parties. The realization of coexistence is very dependent on us as humans who are given the mandate as a caliph on earth, with the fulfillment of human interests and the needs of human interests.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of the Foundation Dr. Dolly Priatna in her presentation said that at this time the coheciness or coexisting in harmony between humans and wildlife had become a necessity. One way that can be applied is to use the C2C approach, or conflict to coexixtence, which is how to convert conflict into a coexistence. This holistic and adaptive approach applies four main principles, namely maintaining tolerance, sharing responsibilities, building resilience, and prioritizing holism. The main results expected from this approach are the preservation of wildlife, coexisting, habitat protection, and securing the livelihoods and assets of the community.

Dolly, who is also a lecturer at Pakuan University Postgraduate School, added, to build and realize coexistence between humans and sustainable wildlife, it is necessary to have key conditions and concrete steps, including planning for sustainable land use, community involvement and education, the management of human conflicts, the realization of sustainable community livelihoods, the strict law enforcement research, research and regular monitoring. As well as the existence of policies that support at the central and regional levels, the long -term commitment of the parties, as well as the running and protection of wildlife habitat. “We believe that with the willingness and commitment of joint, as well as cross -sectoral collaboration between the government, academics, business actors, NGOs, local communities, and the media, our dreams together to create an environment where humans and wildlife can live side by side harmoniously can be realized”, concluded Dolly.

On the same occasion, the Director of External Relations of PT Aggincourt Resources, Sanny Tjan, stressed that the national seminar that was supported by the company through the wilderness of the foundation as the organizer, was an activity to build public awareness and increase the capacity of the community in managing biodiversity, including the preservation of Tapanuli orangutans and their habitat.

According to Sanny, the success of biodiversity conservation, one of which can be achieved through multi -up to sustainable collaboration. This collaboration needs to bring a real contribution from all elements in accordance with their respective roles and functions to realize a life that is in harmony.
“By adopting the concept of pentahelix that synergizes academics, business world, community, government, and media, we can find an innovative approach while strengthening the implementation of the Tapanuli Orangutan Preservation Program. However, this requires close coordination and sustainable commitment from all parties according to their respective roles,” said Sanny.

Associate Fellow Anthropology Department, Faculty of Social Sciences University of Indonesia and Co-Founder Anama Consulting, Sundjaya, M.Sc., said that the conservation strategy of Tapanuli orangutans based on local community began to develop and important. Ethnography, research methods in anthropology, can be the first step in understanding the socio -cultural aspects of the community around the forest and their interactions with Tapanuli orangutans. Through in-depth and comprehensive analysis, ethnography can strengthen conservation strategies and policies that involve the knowledge and culture of indigenous peoples or local communities, especially to optimize the factors that can encourage their active participation in the preservation of Tapanuli Orangutans.

In his remarks, the Dean of Postgraduate School of Pakuan University, Prof. Dr. Sri Setyaningsih, M.Sc., who hosted the event, hoped that this national seminar could be a forum for all parties to share new knowledge, experience, and ideas, about how to realize real coexistence in the field. “We are grateful to the wilderness of the foundation, PT Agucourt Resources, as well as other partners, who have fully supported this event so that it runs smoothly and successfully. Hopefully this seminar will bring great benefits to conservation and sustainable development efforts in Indonesia,” he concluded.

Also present were speakers who had a wealth of experience in the field of orangutan preservation and their habitat in Indonesia in a row, Dr. Sri Suci Utami Atmoko, Chairperson of the Primate Research Center & Lecturer in the Faculty of Biology and Agriculture, National University; Onrizal, PhD, Lecturer in the Faculty of Forestry, University of North Sumatra and Edy Hendras Wahyono, Orangutan Foundation International and moderated by Sardi Duryatmo, Editor in Chief of Trubus Magazine for 2020-2023. (ma)