WildView™

December 18, 2014

Much to be Glum About?

- as seen by -

Melvin Gumal

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In 1983, the only orangutan habitat protected in Sarawak was the Lanjak-Entimau Wildlife Sanctuary (1,687 sq. km) and this area had approximately 1,100 animals.

In the three decades since then, Sarawak has created more national parks and wildlife sanctuaries for the protection of orangutans. The habitat protected increased by approximately 38%. At least 470 more orangutans were found in these new protected areas. If Sarawak were to constitute all its proposed protected areas for orangutans, it would mean a 70% increase in orangutan-protected habitats compared to 1983, and about 1,900 animals under secure land tenure of national parks or wildlife sanctuaries.

This increase in habitat protection as well as numbers of orangutans being protected is something that I have worked for over a long period of time. Hopefully, we can achieve it for the orangutans.

Nikon D90

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