A WILD DAY WITH KEHJE SEWEN’S WILDLIFE

The Post Release Monitoring (PRM) team in Kehje Sewen Forest bears the main task of observing and recording the reintroduced orangutan behavior for a minimum of one year after release. The team has to conduct nest-to-nest observations and routine patrols to document how and whether the released orangutans have adapted to the new environment.

Nest-to-nest observation means waking up and leaving for work before the sun rises, locating a particular orangutan nest and waiting for the orangutan to wake up, and taking notes every two minutes recording the orangutan’s activities. They do this until the orangutan builds a new nest and sleeps in the late afternoon.

Patrols are also regularly conducted on predetermined transects where the team must check the signals of each orangutan every 100 meters in the attempt to pinpoint their whereabouts. When signals are detected, they follow the signals and try to locate the orangutan. Upon getting a visual, the orangutan is observed and detailed behavior data are recorded for two hours before the team returns to the assigned transect and try to find other individuals.

While conducting these observations and patrols, the PRM team often bumps into several other wild animals living in Kehje Sewen Forest. One morning, Deny, Awal, Bowo, and Gunawan teamed up for patrol searching for an orangutan named Agus on Bukit Berlian transect.

That morning while searching for Agus, the team found a Bornean red muntjac or commonly known to the rest of us as a deer. It is the most numerous muntjac deer species and is considered to be exclusively restricted to peninsular Thailand, peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Bali, and of course, Borneo. They also stumbled upon a forest soft-shelled turtle, locally known as labi-labi, and a cute cicada (Magicicada septendecim).

Around 1 PM that day, on the way to a spring, the team finally found Agus eating forest cherries (Syzygium sp.) and was able to observe him. He looked very healthy and repeatedly kiss-squeaked at the team showing his discomfort in their presence.

As a ‘bonus’ though, a macaque made an appearance. This particular monkey species is the most widespread nonhuman primate, living in many different habitats across the globe. This one, obviously, has made Kehje Sewen Forest its home. But after two hours of obeserving Agus and enjoying other forest residents that make up the rich biodiversity of Kehje Sewen Forest, the rain began to fall heavily, forcing the team to end the day and return to Camp Lesik.

Nevertheless, the team went back to Camp Lesik pleased with the day’s results. Not only that they met Agus, they also brought back a camera-full of beautiful pictures of other wildlife, indicating the wealth of Kehje Sewen Forest and the importance of protecting it for many generations to come.