We exist because of scientific research.
BNF (or The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project, as we were then known) was formed 25 years ago off the back of two undergraduate projects, which first identified the Sebangau forest as a priority landscape for orangutan conservation in the mid 1990s.
Since then, we have established several long-running scientific studies and contributed to over 200 publications, making headlines with our discoveries. We now work across three different landscapes in southern Borneo, from peat-swamp and sandy heath to the island’s craggy highland rainforests. By studying these unique forest ecosystems and the many thousands of species within them, we can better understand the threats to their survival, using this knowledge to inform conservation decision-making for maximum impact.
Over 40,000 hours spent observing primate behaviourÂ
In 2003, Dr Helen Morrogh-Bernard, one of our Scientific Directors, began to acclimatise Sebangau’s orangutans to her presence (we call this ‘habituation’) to study their behaviour, marking the beginning of our flagship orangutan research project. Now over 20 years strong, our research has uncovered valuable insights into the lives of these iconic red apes, from the first recorded instance of self-medicating behaviour in wild orangutans to the effects of food quality and availability on population density.
In 2005, Dr Susan Cheyne, another of our Scientific Directors, established a new research programme focusing on the white-bearded gibbon, a species only found in Borneo. It is now one of the longest-running gibbon conservation research projects in the world, shedding light on Asia’s overlooked little apes.
In 2024 we began our orangutan health project, a new strand of research to evaluate the effects of fires, habitat degradation and human activities on orangutan health. We also concluded a major population survey with the Sebangau National Park Agency to provide up-to-date orangutan population estimates for the entire Sebangau Forest.
>20,000 camera trap photos and videos recorded
Despite being home to an eighth of the world’s wild cat species, Borneo has long been neglected as a priority region for wild cat conservation. As a result, very little is known about the island’s five wild cats, particularly the endemic Borneo bay cat, which was only photographed in the wild for the first time in 1998. Â
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In 2008, we conducted our first camera trap surveys in Sebangau and, in the years since, have expanded our camera trapping efforts across all three sites. Equipped with infrared technology, we seek to answer key questions about the behaviour and ecology of Borneo’s secretive wild cats. Â
In Sebangau, we confirmed the presence of clouded leopards in peat-swamp forest – the first time the species had been recorded in this habitat type. We also confirmed the presence of all five cat species in Rungan, making it one of the only known sites in Borneo to host all of the five, further demonstrating the urgent need to protect this unique ecosystem. Our record of the Borneo bay cat in Rungan provided new insights into the species’ distribution, occurring 40 miles outside of its previously known range. Rungan is a mosaic of peat-swamp and heath forest, and, prior to our research, bay cats had never been recorded in this habitat type before.Â
>200% increase in forest biomass within our forestry plots since 2003
Throughout our existence, we’ve been monitoring forest health and biodiversity to track the effectiveness of our conservation interventions. Besides measuring litterfall, tree growth, vegetation cover and ground water levels, we also monitor the presence of bioindicator species, such as dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies. These species act as an ‘early warning system’ for habitat degradation, thanks to their rapid and sensitive responses to subtle environmental changes. This allows us to act on potential threats as they emerge, before any significant damage can occur.Â
Science has always been at the heart of everything we do, driving and reinforcing our conservation work for maximum impact. But what good is knowledge if it is not applied? That’s why learning is just one of our four core working areas; we also protect, restore and inspire.Â
Written by Olivia Pilmore-Bedford, Communications Officer, BNF International
Borneo Nature Foundation is a non-profit conservation organisation. We work to protect some of the most important areas of tropical rainforest and to safeguard the wildlife, environment and indigenous culture on Borneo.
UK REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER:Â 1194359