Skip to content
  • Who we are
    • About Us
    • Our Partners
    • Contact us
  • What we do
    • We Learn
    • We Protect
    • We Restore
    • We Inspire
  • Act Now
    • Donate
    • Fundraise for us
    • Partner with us
    • Field Courses
    • Shop & Support
    • Back a Campaign
  • Stories
  • Login
  • Who we are
    • About Us
    • Our Partners
    • Contact us
  • What we do
    • We Learn
    • We Protect
    • We Restore
    • We Inspire
  • Act Now
    • Donate
    • Fundraise for us
    • Partner with us
    • Field Courses
    • Shop & Support
    • Back a Campaign
  • Stories
  • Login
donate now
  • Scientific Research
  • | Written by BNF Admin

New OuTrop Research: How do primates help forest regeneration?

Aman (OuTrop Field Assistant) has embarked on a new research project to help us better understand how primates play a role in forest regeneration. The most important tool for his research…..primate faeces! Aman explains more in our latest blog.
 

IMG_0481
Aman checking the seeds in our Seedling Nursery. Photo: Cara Wilcox/OuTrop

We have started a new research project because we want to investigate the differences between the seeds that have been digested by primates, and those that have not. We have set up an experiment to compare germination rates of seeds (the process of a seed becoming a plant) from the faeces of gibbons and red langur monkeys, with seeds from fruit that have not been digested.

The findings from this project could help to make our nursery and reforestation project more effective as it will help us better understand the role of these primates in forest regeneration.

I wanted to help create this project to understand more about the forest and its primates. I have already worked in the forest for seven years, learning about its fauna and flora. Now, I can use my knowledge from both areas for one research project. I will be coordinating this project and recording data about the germination rates in our Seedling Nursery.

We hope, from this project, we can see how the different primate species are ‘gardeners of the forest’ and how far they are able to disperse seeds. We expect the seeds from gibbons to be more successful at germinating as gibbons have a frugivorous diet (eating mostly ripe fruit). We think that the seeds from red langur monkeys will be less successful at germinating because red langurs eat more unripe fruit, and appear to chew the seeds and break them down.

If seeds germinate successfully we can plant them in the forest and discover more about forest regeneration and the primates ecological role in the Sabangau Forest.

 

Seed blog
Southern Bornean gibbon [left]; Red langur monkey [right]. Photos: Carolyn Thompson/OuTrop
 

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • June 17, 2016
2 min read
Share to:
Categories:
  • Scientific Research
MAKE THE CONNECTION.

Get updates from rainforest, job opps, ways to acts and more with our monthly(ish) action letter. 

"(Required)" indicates required fields

Name(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Related Posts

  • Camera Traps, Conservation, Scientific Research
  • - April 12, 2025

25 Years of Learning

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

Read more

  • Scientific Research
  • - December 8, 2023

Searching For The Hybrid

Barito Ulu in Central Kalimantan province is the only region in Borneo that harbours a hybrid gibbon population. Located at the fork where the Rekut

Read more

  • Cameras for Cats, Scientific Research, Wildlife
  • - April 27, 2022

Introducing the 5 wild cats of Kalimantan

As you might have read over the last few weeks, Borneo is home to five species of wild cat: the bay cat, Sundra clouded leopard,

Read more

  • Camera Traps, Cameras for Cats, Scientific Research
  • - April 20, 2022

Cats, Conservation… Cameras!

We recently launched our exciting new Cameras for Cats campaign, supporting a multi-landscape camera trapping initiative to gather data on Borneo’s secretive wild cats. In

Read more

  • Camera Traps, Cameras for Cats, Scientific Research
  • - April 13, 2022

Cameras for Cats: What’s the Big Idea?

We are excited to announce that BNF has launched our new Cameras for Cats campaign, raising money for an upcoming multi-landscape research initiative to uncover the

Read more

  • Scientific Research
  • - April 28, 2020

Flying Insects as Potential Bio-indicators for Habitat Degradation Assessments.

Borneo rainforest: It has always been a dream of mine to witness, experience and live in the beauty of this pristine rainforest. Finally, this dream

Read more

  • Scientific Research
  • - March 17, 2020

The Hidden Paradise of Kerangas

Written by Yohanes Prahara (BNF’s Content Creator) Nam: “Wow, this is so beautiful and such an interesting landscape for fauna and flora to co-exist. In

Read more

  • Scientific Research
  • - August 1, 2019

Home is Where the Heart Is: Gibbons Are Highly Territorial and Keep the Same Territories Over Many Years

Written by Dr. Susan Cheyne (BNF International Co-director) In a new paper published open access in PLOS ONE we present data from 8 years of

Read more

  • Scientific Research
  • - July 24, 2019

Workshop on Integrating Research for Rungan Conservation Presented 6 International Experts

Written by Wendy Erb (Researcher) The good and effective policy requires a well-informed decision-making process, particularly ones that aim for sustainable use of natural resources

Read more

  • Scientific Research
  • - July 12, 2019

Studying how the forest fires of 2015 have affected the behaviour and health of orangutans

My name is Abi and I’m a masters by research student from the University of Exeter collaborating with BNF and CIMTROP-University of Palangka Raya. I

Read more

  • Scientific Research
  • - May 24, 2019

Living on the Edge: risky or rewarding?

Written by Nora Helal (Gibbon Researcher) Borneo: a place I’ve visited many times in my wildest dreams, and now it came true. I got the

Read more

  • Scientific Research
  • - April 19, 2018

An orangutan tries to make a selfie with camera trap!

Written by Adul (Camera trap project coordinator), Azis (Orangutan project coordinator), and Sophie Kirklin (Primate scientist) Our camera traps catch all kinds of photos and

Read more

CASH IS A FORCE FOR GOOD; FUND ACTION ON ALL FRONTS
DONATE NOW

We collaborate to protect Borneo’s rainforest, one of the most important on Earth, with science, community-led action and education; for a world where people and nature thrive.

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Login
  • Donate
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Login
  • Donate
  • Annual Reports
  • Policies
  • Annual Reports
  • Policies
Facebook-f Youtube X-twitter Instagram Linkedin-in
© 2025 Borneo Nature Foundation. All rights reserved.