Good News: Gracia Has Given Birth
This morning the Orangutan team search for the whereabouts of Gracia, an orangutan in her 40s. In our previous article it was reported that Gracia was heavily pregnant and about to give birth. The team wanted to confirm Gracia’s condition and at 5am, when the sun was still reluctant to shine, the team entered the […]
The Hope of the Himba Tabalien Guardians
“Bawi Kuwu Tumbang Rakumpit,Hantelu Nyahu Ngatuntung Langit.Intan Emas Nihau Bahirit,Manganjang Lewu Tumbang Rakumpit.” Abner Dius could be heard singing in the traditional sackut style as he steered his old wooden paddleboat. The lyrics, spontaneously narrated in Abner’s native Dayak Ngaju, translate loosely as “three claps of thunder ring in the sky / gold and diamonds […]
Forest Music: Sound Immersion Through Bioacoustic
“What is bioacoustic?” “And why conduct bioacoustic study?” Those were the questions that brought 15 students and 3 teachers from a local school, SMA 9 Palangka Raya, into the forest on an exciting field trip to learn more about this developing field of study. The group was invited to gain firsthand experience of wildlife research […]
A New Generation of Critically Endangered Orangutans
Gracia is a 40-year-old wild female orangutan who lives in the Sebangau National Park. She is a familiar face to many of BNF’s researchers, but there is something odd about her behaviour lately… Abdul Azis, BNF Indonesia’s Orangutan Coordinator, watched Gracia with suspicion. Her behaviour was different, he thought. Azis had known Gracia and her […]
Tropical Rainforest in the Highlands of Borneo
Hill and montane forests occur at elevations of 1,000 meters above sea level, and can be found across almost all of Indonesia’s largest islands: Sumatra, Indonesian Borneo (Kalimantan), Java, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku and Papua. In Borneo, highland forests grow mainly in the north and are dominated by dipterocarp tree species. Highland forests contain a […]
Heath Forest and its Biological Diversity
Kerangas forest, also known as heath forest, typically grows in transitional lowland zones between peat-swamp and hilly dipterocarp forest. Heath forest is generally found on quartz sand and podzol soil, which has low nutrient levels and a low pH. The distribution of heath forests in Indonesia spans across the islands of Sumatra, Belitung, Singkep and […]
Peat-swamp Forest are Important Carbon Stores
Peat-swamp forests are moist tropical forests that, in their natural state, remain flooded year-round. This forest type is formed over thousands of years by the accumulation of organic matter (such as plant debris, animal carcasses, etc.) that does not fully decompose. The accumulated mass of organic matter forms peat deposits up to 20 meters deep […]
Getting to Know Bioacoustics
Did you know that sound waves can be analysed as a biodiversity monitoring tool? Let’s talk bioacoustics! Bioacoustics is a research field that uses audio recording devices to study species and ecosystems. This is less intensive than many traditional field methods and allows us to listen in on wild animals without creating too much disturbance. […]
Guarding The Ancestral Forest “Fields”
“The spirit will never fade, even though our step may stumble,” laughed Kamison, as he made his way up the muddy road. For Kamison, who belongs to Borneo’s indigenous Dayak people, the forest is his “field” – a source of livelihood passed down by his ancestors from long ago. The forest provides food, medicinal plants […]
Getting to Know Local Food
As well as supporting much of Earth’s biodiversity, forest ecosystems are an important source of human livelihood. For this reason, Borneo’s tropical rainforests are regarded as a hereditary treasure by the indigenous Dayak population, many of whom still rely on the forest for food and medicines. Bukit Sua Village in Palangka Raya City, Indonesian Borneo, […]
