Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP) straddles two provinces: Aceh (covering southwest Aceh, South Aceh, Southeast Aceh, and Gayo Lues districts) and North Sumatra (covering Langkat and Karo districts). WCS-IP works to support the Ministry of Environment and Forestry in both GLNP and its buffer areas. One of the first national parks in Indonesia, GLNP was named after Mount Leuser located within the park. The park covers 830.268,95 ha of tropical rainforest in northern Sumatra and part of Bukit Barisan range across Sumatra Island.
Gunung Leuser National Park is the only ecosystem in the world where Sumatran tiger, Sumatran rhino, Sumatran elephant and Sumatran orangutan, four iconic endangered mammals, coexist. Some of these species are also registered as WCS-IP global priority species. Due to its wide range of biodiversity and considering its importance to the world, GLNP is included in the Biosphere Reserve and Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra by UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Conservation Challenges
As the biggest forest block in northern Sumatra, Leuser Landscape is vulnerable to the risk of habitat loss due to forest conversion to palm oil plantation, illegal logging, and encroachment for residences. The rate of deforestation in GLNP is 0.135% every year. With abundant valuable resource, poaching becomes a major threat to wildlife in Leuser Landscape. Plenty number of illegal poaching in Leuser Landscape occurred, elephants and tigers being slaughtered for their skins and tusk. Demand from black market is higher than ever, make the number of illegal poaching raise significantly. These flagship species actually has a vital role for the ecosystem’s sustainability and balance.
Conservation Approach
In supporting GLNP and Aceh Conservation Agency, WCS-IP has established five teams of Wildlife Response Unit (WRU) spread across South and southeast Aceh, Langkat, East Aceh, and Aceh Singkil, the support of which has shown significant results in tiger conservation.
To increase the effectiveness of area protection, WCS-IP and GLNP run SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) patrol initiative. In 2015, the SMART Patrol teams, which consist of WCS-IP staff and GLNP forest rangers, patrolled a total distance of 2207.923 km in three management areas of the park.
Goals
To increase the effectiveness of area’s security, WCS-IP along with Gunung Leuser National Park forest rangers run the SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) patrols. SMART Patrols helps arresting perpetrator of illegal activity and wildlife crime. In 2015, SMART Patrol team which consists of WCS-IP staff and GLNP forest ranger has patrolling as long as 2207.923 km in 3 national park management areas. Started this year, we also set up 3 patrol team in Rawa Singkil Wildlife Reserve. They aim to determine the priority area as well as the poaching or logging prone area.
Activities
- Mitigating human-tiger conflict and stopping illegal hunting of tigers and their prey
- Fostering a better management system
- Protecting natural habitat