Nests Distribution and Daily Range of Rehabilitant Sumatran Orangutans (Pongo abelii Lesson, 1827) at Station Pengian River Sumatran Orangutan Reintroduction, Tebo District, Province of Jambi.

Abstract

Natural distibution of sumatran orangutans are limited in the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and province of North Sumatra, which population is easily disturbed. Large number of orangutans that live outside their habitat, both domesticated and for trading, need rehabilitation for sumatran orangutan. sumatran orangutan reintroduction station Sungai Pengian is place to rehabilitate sumatran orangutan from Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) confiscated. Study on nest distribution and daily range of sumatran orangutan rehabilitant is need to conduct to determine the distribution of orangutans rehabilitant. Study was conducted on April until June 2009 at Pengian River Sumatran Orangutan Reintroduction Station, Tebo District, Province of Jambi. The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution of nests, daily range and orang-utan habitat constituent components sumatran orangutans rehabilitant. Data retrieval is done by following the path of transect to nest distribution of orangutans, orangutans daily range conducted by following the daily movements of individuals ranging from wake up in the morning until the orangutans back to the sleep in the nest. Nests distribution of rehabilitant sumatran orangutan in secondary forest vegetation former fields (25 nests/ha) and former logging (18.1 nests/ha) higher than the primary natural forests (1.3 nests/ha). This related to the location that not to far from orangutan reintroduction and education center. Orangutan also prefer alluvial plains mainly in the surrounding the river. Average daily range of sumatran orangutans rehabilitant are 463.8 m/day (206–732 m/day) and the estimated area of rehabilitant sumatran orangutans used polygon method are 23.16 ha (7.41–51.38 ha). Daily and extensive range of sumatran orangutans rehabilitant is lower than wild orangutans because of rehabilitant orangutans still in the socialization and learning level, so the ability to explore and find food is still less than wild orangutans.