In North Sumatra, the Sumatran tochtor bird (Carpococcyx viridis) was considered extinct in 1916 but was rediscovered in 1977 and its current population is only 50-249 adult individuals. And the latest discovery happened not so long ago.
According to information from Conservation International Indonesia in a press release received by Beritagar.id, Monday (25/9/2017), 120 camera traps installed in the Batang Gadis National Park (TNBG) area, Mandailing Natal, North Sumatra, caught a Sumatran tokhtor. Also recorded are a number of endangered animals. These include pangolins, Sumatran leopards, Sumatran tigers, tapirs, and Asiatic wild dogs. There were also endemic species of Sumatran dwarf kuau and Sumatran squid.
This research was conducted by the TNBG Center which is part of the Tropical Ecolog Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) network.Research has identified and recorded at least 37 species living in the area. “It is very encouraging to know that we are not too late to prevent threatened species from becoming extinct, but urgent action needs to be taken by the government and the community,” said Imam Santoso, Senior Terrestrial Policy Adviser Conservation International (CI) Indonesia.
“We need them to understand that wildlife protects the forest. Meanwhile, the forest provides food, clean water and livelihoods for their health,” said the former Head of Research and Development at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. He added that environmental education for local communities has been confirmed to help conservation efforts. But it should also convey the message that there are many things we don’t know and may lose if we don’t protect forests. CI Indonesia’s Senior Technical Terrestrial Adviser, Simon Badcock, explained that camera traps are an important component of work in TNBG.The proof, before the sighting of this Sumatran Tokhtor bird, there was no indication that this endangered species existed in the national park area. “Through collaboration with the TEAM network, coupled with their extensive network of camera traps, we were able to determine effective strategies for managing national park areas and recommend appropriate protective actions,” said Badcock.
Head of TNBG Center, Dra. Etti Nurwanti, M.Si, explained that the data captured by camera traps can indicate whether the area is being managed properly or not. He added, if the habitat is threatened, the surrounding area will have an impact. “Based on the data obtained, we hope to identify wildlife populations, including tigers, tapirs, and other endangered species,” added Etti.In addition to camera traps, CI Indonesia provides patrol training to forest rangers and uses tools such as the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART). This tool is useful for systematic reporting of their patrols, for monitoring and informing protection plans. “We must continue to improve forest management and conservation because it is very important not only for us, but also for our children and grandchildren,” said Etti, expressing his hopes for the management of this area in the future.
The TNBG area was inaugurated in 2004 and is located in the northern Bukit Barisan mountain range as a representative landscape of the Sumatran ecosystem type.TNBG is known as the densest tapir habitat in Southeast Asia and one of the home of the rare Sumatran tiger. TNBG has an area of more than 70,000 hectares and is located at an altitude range of 300 to 2,145 meters above sea level with the highest point at the peak of Mount Sorik Merapi. Administratively, TNBG is the 42nd national park out of 52 national parks in Indonesia.