Animals on the Edge

Borneo: Habitat conservation

Aims

The aim of the project is to conserve an area of old-growth rainforest bordering the Kinabatangan River that is habitat to orangutans and other endangered species.

Overview

Close to the village of Sukau, along the KInabatangan River in Sabah, Borneo, is an area of of old-growth rainforest that is home to orangutans, proboscis monkeys, clouded leopards and many other threatened animal and plant species. The forest, which is otherwise bordered by a large commercial oil palm plantation, is owned by around 30 villagers. So far, it has remained intact and undeveloped. But the government charges the owners a land tax, which they can ill-afford to pay. In order to raise the annual funds needed to pay the tax, the villagers are considering selling it to the neighbouring oil palm company. We want to stop any development from happening and appreciate the predicament the villagers are in. We are proposing to help the villagers create an eco-tourism venture based around the forest and its wildlife, which will provide an income for the villagers and remove the need to sell for oil palm development.

Future Actions

Animals on the Edge is in the process of working with the land owners to prepare an operational and business plan that will meet the needs of all those involved and set out the basis for implementing the creation of a wildlife sanctuary within the forest zone.