Conservation of proboscis monkeys in the Lower Kinabatangan Sabah Malaysia

Matsuda Ikki, . and Abram Nicola K., . and Stark Danica J., . and M. Sha John C., . and Ancrenaz Marc, . and Goossens Benoit, . and Tuuga Augustine, . and Kubo Takuya, . (2017) Conservation of proboscis monkeys in the Lower Kinabatangan Sabah Malaysia. [Proceedings Paper]

Data on demography of individual species are crucial for drafting holistic conservation plans. The endangered proboscis monkey Nasalis larvatus is found only on the island of Borneo. They are endemic to Borneo and are large sexually dimorphic arboreal colobine primates with groups typically organized into several females and their offspring and one adult male one-male“multifemale group; or all young male groups all-male group. They are classified as Endangered according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species IUCN 2008 and listed under Appendix I of CITES UNEP-WCMC 2003. They are listed as Totally Protected� and may not be hunted traded or kept under any circumstance under the Sabah Wildlife Enactment 1997. Yet despite these levels of protection habitat loss and fragmentation continue to be a major threat for this species Boonratana 2013; Meijaard and Nijman 2000a b. Through logging and forest conversion to oil palm proboscis monkeys lowland swamp forest habitat is arguably the most threatened habitat in Borneo with land cover in these areas decreasing at alarming rates Gaveau et al. 2014; Meijaard and Nijman 2000a. Furthermore proboscis monkeys are highly restricted to habitat along waterways generally only travelling up to 800 m inland to forage returning to their sleeping sites along river edges every evening Matsuda et al. 2011; Matsuda et al. 2010. As a result the impact of lowland swamp forest habitat loss is considerable for this endemic species to Borneo. The Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary LKWS; 5 10 to 5 50 N 117 40 to 118 30 E is located along the Kinabatangan River in the Malaysian state of Sabah. The Kinabatangan River is the longest river in Sabah flowing from the east coast reaching 560 km inland and with a catchment area of 16 800 km2 . Designated as a wildlife sanctuary and gazetted in 2005 the LKWS consists of 10 forest blocks totalling 270 km2 comprises seasonal and tidal swamp forests permanent freshwater swamps mangrove forests and lowland dipterocarp forests Abram et al. 2014; Goossens et al. 2005. A Sabah state-wide population survey conducted in 2004 estimated the Lower Kinabatangan proboscis monkey population to be 1 454 individuals Sha et al. 2008. We assessed the status of proboscis monkeys inhabiting the Lower Kinabatangan floodplain using boat survey methods to detect them based on three long-term population studies ca. 9 8 and 3- year studies in specific areas including riverine and mangrove forests and compared population changes between 2004 and 2014. We fitted a time-series statistical model to the longitudinal population data which indicated that the estimated population densities in each area fluctuated but had neither monotonically increased nor decreased. In addition direct comparisons of their populations between 2004 and 2014 revealed subtle changes. One reason for the relatively stable population could be due to little forest loss along the rivers where proboscis monkeys are generally found due to increased protection measures of these habitats over the past decade in the Kinabatangan floodplain. This was despite general forest loss of ca. 9 400 ha between 2005/6 and 2014. However certain areas within the proboscis monkeys range are still under threat and these areas need to be protected to ensure their long-term survival.

Full text available from: Official URL: http://www.forest.sabah.gov.my/docs/frc/Other.Conf...

Abstract

Data on demography of individual species are crucial for drafting holistic conservation plans. The endangered proboscis monkey Nasalis larvatus is found only on the island of Borneo. They are endemic to Borneo and are large sexually dimorphic arboreal colobine primates with groups typically organized into several females and their offspring and one adult male one-male“multifemale group; or all young male groups all-male group. They are classified as Endangered according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species IUCN 2008 and listed under Appendix I of CITES UNEP-WCMC 2003. They are listed as Totally Protected� and may not be hunted traded or kept under any circumstance under the Sabah Wildlife Enactment 1997. Yet despite these levels of protection habitat loss and fragmentation continue to be a major threat for this species Boonratana 2013; Meijaard and Nijman 2000a b. Through logging and forest conversion to oil palm proboscis monkeys lowland swamp forest habitat is arguably the most threatened habitat in Borneo with land cover in these areas decreasing at alarming rates Gaveau et al. 2014; Meijaard and Nijman 2000a. Furthermore proboscis monkeys are highly restricted to habitat along waterways generally only travelling up to 800 m inland to forage returning to their sleeping sites along river edges every evening Matsuda et al. 2011; Matsuda et al. 2010. As a result the impact of lowland swamp forest habitat loss is considerable for this endemic species to Borneo. The Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary LKWS; 5 10 to 5 50 N 117 40 to 118 30 E is located along the Kinabatangan River in the Malaysian state of Sabah. The Kinabatangan River is the longest river in Sabah flowing from the east coast reaching 560 km inland and with a catchment area of 16 800 km2 . Designated as a wildlife sanctuary and gazetted in 2005 the LKWS consists of 10 forest blocks totalling 270 km2 comprises seasonal and tidal swamp forests permanent freshwater swamps mangrove forests and lowland dipterocarp forests Abram et al. 2014; Goossens et al. 2005. A Sabah state-wide population survey conducted in 2004 estimated the Lower Kinabatangan proboscis monkey population to be 1 454 individuals Sha et al. 2008. We assessed the status of proboscis monkeys inhabiting the Lower Kinabatangan floodplain using boat survey methods to detect them based on three long-term population studies ca. 9 8 and 3- year studies in specific areas including riverine and mangrove forests and compared population changes between 2004 and 2014. We fitted a time-series statistical model to the longitudinal population data which indicated that the estimated population densities in each area fluctuated but had neither monotonically increased nor decreased. In addition direct comparisons of their populations between 2004 and 2014 revealed subtle changes. One reason for the relatively stable population could be due to little forest loss along the rivers where proboscis monkeys are generally found due to increased protection measures of these habitats over the past decade in the Kinabatangan floodplain. This was despite general forest loss of ca. 9 400 ha between 2005/6 and 2014. However certain areas within the proboscis monkeys range are still under threat and these areas need to be protected to ensure their long-term survival.

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Item Type:	Proceedings Paper
AGROVOC Term:	Primates
AGROVOC Term:	Endangered species
AGROVOC Term:	Endemic species
AGROVOC Term:	Protected animals
AGROVOC Term:	Wildlife conservation
AGROVOC Term:	Mangrove forests
AGROVOC Term:	Wetlands
AGROVOC Term:	Animal population
AGROVOC Term:	Habitats
AGROVOC Term:	Survival
Geographical Term:	MALAYSIA
Depositing User:	Ms. Suzila Mohamad Kasim
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 05:16
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/13791

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